the Back of the Wardrobe
by marieken
Summary: Susan always felt in a different, indefinable way about Peter. When he tells her that he is adopted, that feelings clear up.
1. Chapter 1

_The Back of the Wardrobe_

Set in the old BBC version 1988.

Susan always felt in a different, indefinable way about Peter. When he tells her that he is adopted, that feelings clear up.

Disowner; Narnia and all her delightful creatures aren't mine. Exept for a few characters, later in the story.

* * *

**I. Where the PevensieKids arrive at the professor's house and in which Peter tells Susan he is adopted**

Sixteen, Susan was, when the war broke out. It started with the newspapers and the firsts on tv. Then the schools closed, and two weeks after Susan's seventeenth birthday, mother had told them to pack clothing and some things for entertainment. They obeyed, and the next day mother brought them to the station. The platform, where the train was waiting, was loaded with hundreds of children, who were all leaving to the country. Susan kissed her mother's cheek.

"Bye mother," she said. Mother smiled at her that smile, that was supposed to comfort her. This time, it didn't. Then mother kissed Peter, then Edmund, and least, she kissed little Lucy. They stepped into the train. Lucy hesitated, looked back at mother.

"Come on, Lucy, the train is moving," Susan said, and she took the hand of her youngest sibling. The four of them sat down in an empty compartment, and waved at their mother, until she was out of sight. There was a sad silence for a moment, in which Lucy stared at the ground, Susan and Edmund looked out of the window and Peter started searching for their traintickets. Edmund was the first one to speak.

"Why do we have to go?" Susan and Lucy looked at him, "I'd much rather stay in London to see the war!"

Peter looked at him as if he had gone mad.

"This war is going to be very nasty, Edmund. Which _is_ why we will be sent away!"

Edmund looked outside again with an angry frown on his forhead.

"Spoilsports, grown ups," he growned. Susan sighed.

"They are doing it for our sake, Edmund! When the bombs start falling on London..." she didn't finish her sentence and looked at Lucy, who had a very troubled look in her eyes. She put her hand on her little sister's arm, and Lucy grabbed it firmly with her little hands.

"I wish mother and Nanny could've come with us," she said to Susan. Susan sighed and nodded. She felt Peter looking at them.

"I don't think it's fair," all eyes were turned to Edmund again, "They'll be right there, in all the excitement!"

Peter threw him a look of disapproval and mocking.

"All that danger you mean!" he exclaimed, "Don't talk such rubbish."

He looked at Susan for moral help.

"We are lucky, Edmund!" Susan said reprovingly, "We are going away deep into the countryside, where we'll be safe."

She beamed and smiled at the thought.

"Yes! And you know why we'll be safe?" Susan's smile disappeared and Lucy looked somewhat scared at Edmund's clouded face, "Because in the country _nothing - ever - happens_!"

Peter's rolling eyes and Susan's sigh told Lucy that they got tired from Edmund's tough talk. Peter looked outside, and decided he wasn't going to talk to Edmund until after the trip. Susan and Lucy seemed to share that thought. Edmund tried to provoke some more arguments, but the others kept ignoring him stubbornly.

Two hours later they stood on a little empty platform. Lucy looked around her, and took her big sister's hand.

"What do we do now?" she asked. Susan shrugged and looked at Peter.

"Let's go out," he decided, and since nobody knew a better thing to do, they agreed. And so they walked out. There was a street. It wasn't a big one, but it was obviously ment for cars. Not that there were any cars in sight. At the other side of the street, there was a big green lawn, with flowers. Peter looked around. There really was nobody. He put down his luggage and the others copied the action.

"What do you suppose we do?" Susan asked him. He shrugged.

"I don't know, I think we should wait for someone to pick us up," he said and he sat down on the stairs. Again, the others copied his action. Susan looked at the yellow flowers in the grass.

"It wouldn't hurt to wait there, would it?" she said. Lucy jumped up immediatly.

"Ooh, can I go there, please! Please, Peter!" she whined.

"Oh, I don't know," Peter said.

"Please!" Lucy pouted. Peter sighed.

"Okay, go," he said, and Lucy and Edmund raced across the street. They threw themselves in the grass, and rolled over eachother and had the time of their lives. Susan stood up to follow them, but then looked at Peter. His gaze was troubled.

"Peter?"

He looked up at her.

"Is something wrong?" she asked. He looked down.

"The war and stuff. I just hope mother will surv..."

"She will," Susan interupted him, "There is something else going on."

"What is it?" Peter asked.

"You tell me,"

Peter sighed. And another time.

"Come on, I'm your sister, you can tell me," said Susan, trying to comfort him. Peter looked up at the playing siblings.

"That's just it," he said, "You're not my sister."

Susan chuckled.

"What is that rubbish, ofcourse I am!"

"No, Sue," said Peter and he looked up at her, "I'm adopted."

"You're – You're _what_?" Susan whispered.

"Mother told me, right before we left," he said, "In case the bombs would fall on London. Then I would never have known."

"I'm so sorry," Susan said. She wished she could've said something else, something that would really sooth him, but she couldn't think of something else. Also, she was rather diverted by something. A feeling, deep inside her chest. A feeling, she couldn't quite explain. It felt like happiness, and tiredness and some kind of numbness. It was strongly comparable to.. – relieval. But what for? Was she happy she wouldn't grow up to be like Peter, that she wouldn't have his personality, that she wouldn't have anything to do with anything he would become? But she liked him so much that way. No, it was no relieval. This was triumph. The kind of triumph you feel when somebody confesses to you that you were right about something all along. Only now, she realized that she had known it. She had always unconsiously known that Peter wasn't her real brother. And now that she thought of it deeper, she came to realize that she didn't even remember where he came into her life, though she was quite sure he hadn't been there all along.

"Don't be, it's not even your fault," Peter said, "I just wish I would have known it earlier. Or even better; never."

"Oh Peter, if there is anything I can do for you!"

Peter blinked. He appreciated Susan's concern, but there was nothing she could do. Nor Edmund, nor Lucy, nor anyone. He needed to figure this out alone.

"No thanks, just don't tell the others,"

Susan looked at Edmund and Lucy, and then shook her head.

"I won't,"

At the end of the street, Peter and Susan heard a car. A brown car stopped in front of the station. A man in suit stepped out of it.

"Pevensie children?" he asked. Peter stood up.

"Yes, sir," he said, and he grabbed his luggage.

"Come on, you guys, we're leaving!" Susan yelled at Lucy and Edmund. They too grabbed their luggage and got into the car. Peter sat in the front. Then they started driving.

"My name is William," the man said.

"Hello, I am Peter," Peter answerd.

"Did you have a pleasant journey?" William asked. Peter nodded. In the back he heard Susan telling Edmund to leave Lucy alone. He sighed and looked outside.

"Terrible thing in London," Peter nodded again.

"Not very chatty, mister Pevensie?" Peter forced a smile.

"I'm sorry, I'm just very tired," he said.

"That's okay. Oh, look, we're here," William said, and he pointed at a big, old, grey brick house. The kids got out with their luggage. They looked up the stone stairs, and saw a strict looking woman, with grey hair in a bun and glasses. They hesitated down the stairs, but with an encouraging look from William, they went up to the woman. They stopped in front of her. She nodded at them and gave them a scarely kind smile. Then she turned around and they followed her inside. There she turned around. The kids put their luggage down. Immediatly two maids showed up.

"Now, the servants will take these," the woman said, "That is their function. One must not deprive people from their function. Everyone has their part to fullfill."

They walked further into the room while the maids brought their luggage away. The woman was just about to say another something, when they heard a voice saying "Oh!". An old man walked through a door and up to the kids. Susan felt Peter's fingertips brush against hers. The professor stopped in the middle of the room. He had a wrinkled face with kind eyes and a mustache and white Einstein-hair.

"Children?" he said surprised, as if he wasn't informed, but then he seemed to remember it and a smile layed itself around his lips, "Good afternoon!"

"Good afternoon sir," Peter said, and Susan and Lucy did the same.

"Oh, yes," the professor took a deep breath, "Welcome. Welcome to my home. Which you must feel, is your home, for as long as you stay here, with me."

"Thank you, sir," Peter said sincerely. He liked him. The professor smiled at him.

"Well, it's wartime, I suppose. Even I must make a pretence of military precision!"

He swung his cane under his arm and straightened his back.

"Right," he said, "Form a line, there!"

Peter looked at Susan with a hardly hidden amused smile, and they formed a line.

"Very good," the professor said, "Nownow, from the right."

He walked up to Peter first.

"Name?"

"Peter, sir!"

"Susan, sir!"

"I'm Lucy!" Lucy said; she obviously already felt at home. Then the professor pointed at Edmund to say his name. But Edmund once again stayed silent.

"You have a name too, I'm sure?" the professor said.

"Edmund," Edmund said with distaste.

"Sir!" Peter told him reprovingly.

"Sir," Edmund then added.

"I shall try not to mix you up," the professor said, and he started walking back to the door where he came from.

"Ooh, ms. Macready!" he said then, and he turned around again.

"Yes, professor," the strict woman said.

"These children have had a long journey. Have their supper served upstairs in their own study. They don't want to sit up and be polite to an old man!"

Lucy looked up at Susan. Susan liked it to see Lucy so happy. Again Peter's fingertips brushed against hers. She looked at him. He didn't look at her, but then just took her hand. She smiled and looked at the professor again.

"But I'm sure that would be inconvenient to the kitchenstaff," ms Macready answerd.

"Ooh! How great that sounds! But, these are the kitchenstaff!" he pointed at the maids, who had just again appeared, "They are all the staff! What do you think?" he asked them. The two girls looked at the professor and then smiled. Ms Macready then sighed.

"Whatever you say, Professor. Your word is law."

"Is it?" the professor said, and the children chuckled, "How nice!"

Peter let go of Susan's hand, and they followed ms Macready upstairs.

* * *

"I say, what about the old prof, trying to be a military?" said Peter. The four of them sat upstairs, eating their desert. Susan crossed her arms and smiled. 

"He's lovely!" she said. Peter laughed softly.

"He's peculiar," Edmund said. Susan bowed forward to him.

"Why? Because he's nice?" she asked mocking.

"The way he talks! I keep wanting to laugh!" Edward answered and he chuckled.

"Very bad form, Edmund!" Peter said, "He's given us a home!"

"I _know_!" Edmund exclaimed, "You don't have to go on about it!"

"I wouldn't be going on about it, if you-"

"PLEASE stop fighting," Lucy interrupted, "Someone might hear."

"Shouldn't think so," Peter said, "It's miles from here to the drawingroom."

"It's the biggest, weirdest house I've ever been in," Susan said, and she stood up to collect the dirty plates, "With all those stairs and passages."

"I think it's spooky," said Lucy, "Especially now it's dark."

Susan patted her head and took her plate. Just before she could take Edmund's plate, he grabbed his spoon and took another bite, only to tease her.

"I think that's the only good thing about the whole business. I like this spooky house," Edmund said, while he threw the morosely looking Susan an arrogant look. Lucy looked up at Susan, "I'm sure there are ghosts in every corner!"

He scared Lucy, and Susan grabbed his plate away.

"Edmund!" she said reprovingly, and a little pissed off. Then there was a weird sound and it scared Lucy _again_.

"What was that?" she asked afraid. It irritated Edmund. That girl is so easily scared, he thought. If Peter wouldn't be on my skin all day, I would scare the hell out of her, every single minute.

"Only an owl," Peter said, laughing at Lucy with a moved look in his eyes. He really did see Lucy as his little sister. Susan took his plate too. He looked from her soft fingers all the way up to her beautiful blue eyes.

"We never had owls in London! I wonder what other things we'll find here!" she said, and then turned around to put the dishes away.

"Hawks!" Edmund said.

"Eagles," Peter added.

"Badgers!" Lucy said, and Edmund raised an eyebrow, "I'd love to see a badger!"

"I wonder if there are deers," Susan said with a dreamy look in her eyes.

"Well, we'll soon know," Peter stood up and looked at the siblings, "We have weeks, and weeks of holiday ahead! We'll start by exploring the grounds. And the woods. And the fields," With every suggestion Lucy and Edmund got more excited. Susan smiled widely, "And everything – tomorrow!"

"But now, we're going to bed, come on," Susan said. Peter looked how she played the little mum to the whining Lucy and the resisting Edmund. Then, he was left alone at the table. Fifteen minutes later, Susan came back in.

"I thought you were here. Shouldn't you go to bed?" She asked.

"No, I'm not that sleepy," Peter answerd.

"Me neither," Susan shook her head, "You want some tea?"

"Sit down, I'll make it," Peter said and he stood up. She slightly resisted, but still let her big brother put her down in a chair. He didn't want to be her big brother anymore. He wasn't.

"I can't stand Edmund at this time," Peter said. Susan sighed smiling.

"Oh, get over it. That is just, you know – Edmund,"

"Yes, I know, he is just so... disrespectful! To mother, to me, to you - to the _professor_ for god sake!"

"Oh, it's not that bad, nobody but you really bothers about it,"

"That is because he is worse to me, than to you,"

"Than maybe you should stop patronizing him!" said Susan smiling, throwing Peter a bit off guard, and ending the conversation.

Susan wanted to talk about his adoption and searched for the right words, until she found that there weren't any. So she stayed silent and watched him make the tea. Peter felt her watching him. He had always liked having all of Susan's attention, but this made him a little nervous.

"How old..." she started, without finishing the sentence. Peter knew exactly the question.

"Five. I was five," he said, and he reached Susan a cup of tea. She sat down on the table with her feet on the chair, while he leaned against the little sink they had. She sipped from her tea and threw him an interested look.

"Do you know why... I mean..." she started. She wanted to ask why his mother got rid of him, but she realized that was just too mean to say. He smiled at her.

"My mother died at my birth. My father lost his job, and there was no way that he could take good care of me. So he put me in an orphanage. And there your mother came to get me. She said it was love at first sight," Peter told her. Susan chuckled.

"Yes, you know how mother is with little children," she said.

"Oh, no, not mother," Peter said grinning, "No, you."

"What?" Susan grinned.

"Yes, you were four, and mother said that you immediatly ran up to me, and just wouldn't let me go," Peter said, and Susan laughed, "She probably wouldn't even have adopted me, but if she wanted you back home..."

"Oh, I can't imagine that! You were the cutest little thing when you were little," Susan said giggling, and she sipped at her tea again. Peter sipped at his tea too, and there was a thoughtful silent.

"Sue," Peter started.

"Yes?"

"Haven't you ever... I mean... Didn't you ever thought of me – different, than you and Edmund and Lucy?"

Susan looked up at him. She didn't know exactly what to say. Yes, she had always thought of him different, but that sure didn't make her love him less.

"Well, in certain ways," she said insecure.

"What kind of ways?" Peter's body was tingling. What did she mean? He was doing the best he could, not to freak out. This was too much.

"Well, I don't know. It always was somewhat incomprehensible to me. It still is. It was just – different," she said, "I hope that doesn't hurt you."

Peter looked at her. He was sad. This wasn't at all what she had wanted.

"It doesn't. I'm glad to know. I think I'm going to bed," Peter said. He put down his cup, and walked out the door. Susan let her chin rest on her chest. God, why did she always screw this things up?


	2. Chapter 2

_The Back of the Wardrobe_

Set in the old BBC version 1988.

Susan always felt in a different, indefinable way about Peter. When he tells her that he is adopted, that feelings clear up.

Disowner; Narnia and all her delightful creatures aren't mine. Exept for a few characters, later in the story.

This one might be a little... stupid, because I'm not that good at slightly intimate scenes, but I did the best I could.

**Dittany:** THANK YOU :D Oh my god, it's so nice to have people actually say that my stories are good. I write a lot of fanfiction, but this is the first one I publish in here.  
**KibumiWong:** Thank you for putting me in your favs (: I wish I could read your stories, but I'm not really.. familiar with your language (:  
**Carmel12373:** thanks  
**Deitra:** Well, that's your opinion. I absolutely adore the BBC version (: But I'm glad you like it anyway.  
**HanyAny:** Oh yes, I love Susan being the little mum! And Edmund as such an annoying little kid; don't you just adore him that way:P  
**Aminuleen:** Hmm, sounds good. Actually I already wrote the chapter, but I'll see what I can do.  
**Coveredclouds14: **"I'm sure whatever you decide to do will be simply superb" I love you, yes I do!

* * *

**II. In which Lucy discovers Narnia a bit and Susan discovers Peter a bit**

"And ofcourse it would rain, wouldn't it?"

Edmund walked away from the window and sat down on the old couch. Susan walked up to Peter.

"Peter, listen to me –" Peter walked away from her and patted Edmund's head.

"We could still explore!" he said, completely ignoring Susan, "We'll explore the house."

"Yes!" Lucy said. She liked to explore, whether it were the grounds, the woods, the fields or this big old house. She grabbed Susan's hand, and dragged her behind her. The house was even bigger than the kids would have expected. There were a lot of bathrooms, some old study's with dusty books, and enough spare bedrooms for all of Lucy's friends, she thought. Then Peter discovered a door, with stairs behind it, that lead to the attic. The attic was fantastic. It was big, with all sorts of rooms. Everywhere were boxes, there were strange paintings, a piano, a closet with weird clothing. And in the back of the attic, there was another door. They got through the door and came into an empty room. Okay, it wasn't completely empty, there was this big wardrobe. Lucy thought she heard Susan tell Peter they needed to talk. Since when did Peter and Susan fight? They never did!

"There's nothing here, let's go on," Peter said, and they walked back through the attic. But Lucy stayed behind. She thought it would be worthwile to look inside the wardrobe. It wouldn't hurt, would it? So she got in, leaving the doors open. She didn't want to get herself locked up in a wardrobe. In the wardrobe hung lots and lots of fur coats. Lucy loved fur. She went further into the wardrobe (where it got darker and darker), only to discover more and more coats, made of this wonderful fur. Then, out of nothing, there was a tree. And another one. It was cold, and there were actually snowflakes coming from the air.

"How funny," said Lucy, and she put on a fur coat, "Now I get to explore a wood after all!" She walked further through this forest and then came on a lovely open spot, with a lamppost in the middle. Lucy turned around, and through the branches she could still see the wardrobe.

"I could always get back if I get in trouble," Lucy told herself, and so she walked up to the lamppost. She looked up to it.

"In the middle of the wood?" she said on a slight mocking tone. Then she turned around and saw this man. Or at least the upper half looked like a man. His legs were those of a goat and he had this tail, which he wore over his arm to prevent it from dragging through the snow. In his arms he had three packages.

"Excuse me!" Lucy said.

"Goodness gracious me!" the man exclaimed and he dropped all of his packages, "You scared me!"

"Are you a faun?" Lucy asked interested. The man's eyes widened.

"Yes," he said, "Yes, I suppose I am."

He started grabbing his packages from the ground. Lucy helped.

"Thank you," the Faun said. He walked in a circle around her, took a good look at her.

"Am I right thinking that you are a – a daughter of Eve?" he asked then. What a weird question to ask, thought Lucy. She wondered how she got into a situation with a Faun, asking if she was someone called Eve's daughter.

"My name is Lucy," she said, to clear up the misunderstanding. The Faun took another good look at her.

"But are you – forgive me – are you what they call.. a girl?"

Lucy giggled at that second weird question.

"Ofcourse I'm a girl!" she said, and she repressed a loud 'Duhh!'. What a silly Faun, she thought.

"A human?" he asked, with a look as if that meant a whole lot.

"Yes! Girls _are_ human!" Lucy said. She got a little irritated by now. Suddenly the Faun looked very pleased to see her.

"Well, that is delightful. Delightful! I have never seen a human before. Let me introduce myself," he stuck out a hand, "My name is Tumnus, and..." he suddenly stopped in the middle of that sentence, pulled back his hand and looked suspicious at hers.

"How did you get into Narnia?"

"Narnia? What's that?" Lucy was curious about mr Tumnus' talk, but at the same time very irritated at the fact that he kept on saying strange things.

"Well, it's where we are," he said, as if she was dumb, "This is the land of Narnia." He walked up to the Lamppost.

"All that lies between the Lamppost, and the great Castle of Cair Paravel, at the eastern sea."

Lucy thought that sounded beautiful, but still silly, since she didn't knew what he meant.

"The castle of _what_?" she asked a bit rude.

"Cair Paravel," mr Tumnus answerd, "I don't think She should worry, you are only by yourself. And you? Are you from the wild woods in the West?"

Now Lucy lost him. Who was this She he was talking about? And she didn't come from the Wild Woods in the West! She was from London! But Lucy had this preminition he wouldn't know what London was.

"No, I came through the wardrobe in the spare room," she told him instead. He looked puzzled.

"Oh dear, if I only worked a little harder at geography when I was in little Faunat school. You may find me very ignoring, but I've never heard of the city of War-Drobe nor the land of Sparer-Oom!"

"It's just back there!" Lucy said, and she pointed at the direction where she had just come from, "It's summer there."

She found it very funny to step from a (rainy, but that's beside the point) summerday through a wardrobe into cold winternight, where she had to wear a furcoat. Mr Tumnus looked her in the eyes with a wry smile and a sad frown.

"And winter here," he said with a joyless grin, "It's been winter in Narnia for–" he thought for a moment, but didn't seem to remember the numbers, "-ever so long."

Lucy nodded understanding. She had always liked the winter, with the snow and the cold weather, but enough is enough. Mr Tumnus seemed to wake up from his dreamy thoughts and a sneaky glance shone in his eyes.

"And we shall both catch cold if we stay here talking in the snow," he said, "Daughter of Eve, from the far land of Sparer-Oom, where eternal summer reigns around the grand city of War-Drobe-"

Lucy giggled. Mr Tumnus was the funniest Faun she'd ever met! But then again that was logical, because after all he was the only Faun Lucy had ever met.

"-how would it be if you came and had tea with me?" he asked. Lucy hesitated. Something told her not to trust this nice Faun,

"...but I've never taken tea with a Faun before," she thought out loud.

"Well then!" said mr Tumnus. He let Lucy hold his packages and put up an umbrella against the falling snow. Lucy still hesitated, and then decided she needed to be a reasonable nine years old.

"Really, I suppose I should be getting back," she said.

"But it's just around the corner! And – and there will be toast! And.. and sardines. And cake!" Mr Tumnus offered Lucy an arm. Well, it wouldn't hurt just to eat a piece of toast, Lucy thought. I will be gone before I can even spell the word trouble. T-R-O-B-E-L... see? So she took the arm, and let mr Tumnus lead her to his house.

It was a cave. A very cozy cave. Mr Tumnus took Lucy's jacket.

"Make yourself at home!" he said, while he put the kettle on the fire. Lucy walked through the room, and looked at the table with all the snacks on it. She smiled hungry and then walked towards a cupboard with books in it.

"_Nymphs in their ways_," she read, "_Is Man a Myth?_" Lucy decided these books were strange.

"Ready!" mr Tumnus called. Lucy walked back to him. He stood next to the table.

"Such a cozy house!" Lucy said sincerely, "And that really is a wonderful tea!"

"Do sit, do sit!" mr Tumnus said, and Lucy sat down in an easy chair. Mr Tumnus put his own cup of tea next to his own chair.

"One for me, and-" He reached her her cup of tea and a little plate with a few snacks, "-one for a friend."

Lucy took a bite of that wonderful toast he gave her, and then looked up to mr Tumnus, who sat down in his own chair.

"So, what's it like living in Narnia, mr Tumnus?" Lucy asked.

"Life was beautiful here once. Midnight dances in the forest. The Nymphs, who live in their waves, and the Dryades, who live in their trees, would come and dance with us! The Fauns, I mean. And the feasting, and the treasure haunting, and those summers-" mr Tumnus' gaze was lost in his nostalgic memories, and Lucy took another few bites, "Those long, long summers. And the woods were green, and the whole forest would be given up to jollyfication for weeks!"

"But why isn't it like that now?" Lucy asked. Mr Tumnus' eyes were sad again.

"Now it is winter," he said, "Endless winter. And it always will be unless – and until y-"

He looked again at Lucy with a completely new expression, and Lucy wondered what made his moods change so quickly. And why, in god's name, did he constantly _not_ finish his sentences? Mr Tumnus put down his tea, and grabbed something that looked like a siameze flute. Then he started playing this wonderful melody. Lucy looked at the fire, and her eyes started to fall shut. Just a little nap, she told herself, and then she fell asleep. She dreamed of the green woods, and the feasts and the treasure haunting Mr Tumnus had told her about. Then she saw a Unicorn and the Nymphs and the Dryades and the other Fauns and she danced until she felt like her feet would fall off. It was all so beautiful and happy that Lucy groaned when she found herself woken up again. But then she remembered where she was.

"How long have I been asleep?" she stood up and started searching for her furcoat, "I must go home. The others will be wondering what happened to me!"

And then they will not see me as a reasonable nine years old, she thought grumpy. This wasn't what she had in mind at all when she stepped into Narnia. She found her furcoat hung over a chair, and started walking to the door, when she heard a loud sob. She turned around. Mr Tumnus sat in his chair with the flute in his lap, crying.

"Mr Tumnus! Whatever is the matter?" she asked lightly shocked, while she was walking back to him.

"Oh dear, oh dear," mr Tumnus mumbled neuroticly, and then he started crying out loud.

"Don't! Please!" Lucy siad, she was never good at handling crying people, "What is it? Do tell me."

She pulled out her handkerchief, and started wiping away his tears. Her mother had done that a thousand times to her. And always she had stopped crying when mother did that. Mr Tumnus didn't stop, and Lucy again got irritated. She didn't know what to do, and before she could stop herself..

"Mister Tumnus, will you stop it at once!" she exclaimed with a strong voice. It worked. He stopped sobbing.

"My old father would never have done a thing like this," mr Tumnus mumbled in that neurotic tone again, and he looked up to the painting above the fireplace, "I, I am – you see, - I'm a very bad Faun."

"I don't think you're a bad Faun," Lucy said smiling and she shook her head while she sat down on her knees, "I think you're a very good Faun. You're the nicest Faun _I've_ ever met!"

But then again, he is the _only_ Faun I've ever met, Lucy thought, but she didn't say it. Mr Tumnus sobbed again.

"You wouldn't say that if you knew," he said, "I've done a very bad thing. I'm taking service under the White Witch. That's how bad I am. I am in the pay of the White Witch."

Lucy looked at him. It sounded like he was talking about a very important thing.

"The White Witch? Who is she?" asked Lucy. Again mr Tumnus looked at her as if she was dumb.

"Who..? She, who has all Narnia under her spell! It's she who makes it always winter here. _Always_ winter, _never_ christmas. Think of that!"

Lucy didn't want to think of that. She found that a terrible thing to think of.

"How aweful," she said, "But what does she pay you for?"

"I- I'm a kidnapper,"

Lucy chuckled. That sounded so funny. But mr Tumnus seemed serious.

"Would you believe that I'm the kind of Faun to meet a poor, innocent human child in the wood, pretend to be friendly with it, and invite it home to my cave, all for the sake of lulling it into sleep and handing it over to the White Witch?"

No, Lucy wouldn't believe so.

"Oh, but I'm sure you wouldn't do anything of tha-" Her eyes widened with fear as she read mr Tumnus' eyes. God, it was her!

"Yes, you are the child," he said, "I had orders from the White Witch that if ever I saw a Son of Adam or a Daughter of Eve in the wood, I had to catch them, and spell them with my flute and make them sleep and hand them over to her!" Lucy stood up as fast as she could. Trouble, T-R-O-U-B-L-E. She had to get out of there.

"But you haven't," she said slowly moving to the door, "You've told me."

"But if I don't, I'm sure she'll find out!" he said with a rather paniced voice. Lucy had a hard time not to panic herself. Be cool, Lu, the last thing we need here is panic, she told herself, "She'll have my tail cut off, and my horns sawn off, and my beard plucked out," he was in a state of frustration and mere panic. Lucy took a few deep breaths and moved closer to the door, ready to run whenever he decided he wanted to hand her over to that Witch anyway. But mr Tumnus just mumbled on about his fate when the White Witch would find out, "-and if she's extra and specially angry with me, she'll turn me into stone."

Lucy had almost reached the door.

"I'm sorry," Lucy said as politely as she could, "I _am_ sorry, but _please_ let me go home!"

For a minute mr Tumnus looked as if he was going to attack her. Then he sighed.

"Well, ofcourse I will," He stood up and walked to Lucy, who was completely thrown off by this acute change of mind, "I must, I see that now. I didn't know what humans were like before I met you. Now that I know you... Of_course_ I can't give you up to the Witch!"

Lucy sighed deeply and layed a relieved hand on mr Tumnus' hairy arm.

"But we must be off at once!" he said, "I'll bring you back to the lamppost, and I hope that you can find your own way from there. Back to err, Sparer Oom and err – what was it? – War-Drobe?"

Lucy nodded and smiled.

"I think I can," she said, and they went outside. It had stopped snowing.

"We must go very quietly," mr Tumnus said softly, "The whole wood is full of her spies. Even some of the trees are on her side. Come."

And so they went back to the lamppost. It was shining bright and yellow against the pitch black nightsky, and it made the snow on the branches glitter.

"Daughter of Eve, are you sure you can find your way from here?" mr Tumnus asked. Lucy looked behind her. She could see the inside of the wardrobe.

"I think I can see the wardrobe door," she said.

"Then be off to home as quick as you can," mr Tumnus whispered, "And – can you ever forgive me for what I was going to do?" Lucy nodded.

"Yes I can. You won't be getting in trouble on my account?"

"No, no, certainly not," mr Tumnus said, while straightening his back and smiling at her, "Farewell, daughter of Eve. May I keep the handkerchief?"

"Ofcourse," Lucy laughed, "Goodbye."

"Goodbye," mr Tumnus said. Lucy turned around and started running throught the bushes, back to the wardrobe.

* * *

"Peter, we need to talk," Susan said to Peter. Peter ignored her again, and turned to Edmund and Lucy. Susan got pretty tired of Peter ignoring her, and right now, there was nothing she wanted more that punch him in the face. What did she do to him anyway? He asked her if she ever thought of him 'different', and she just told him the truth. The truth is no crime, right?

"There's nothing here, let's go on," Peter said. They went back to the attic. Edmund saw a painting of a man with a huge mustache, and immediatly ran up to it.

"You must stop ignoring me," Susan whispered annoyed. Peter was just about to say something when Lucy stormed in.

"I'm back! I'm back! I've come back!" she yelled, "It's allright, I'm back."

"Back? What are you talking about?" Susan asked, and she looked at Peter. He was just as surprised as she.

"Haven't you all been wondering where I was?" Lucy asked. Is this some kind of joke, she thought.

"You've been hiding?" Peter asked, "Poor old Lu, nobody even noticed!" Edmund and Peter laughed. Lucy didn't understand. She had been away for at least half the day, and nobody had noticed?

"I've been away for hours!" she said to Susan.

"She's crazy," Edmund told Peter.

"But, it was just after breakfast when I went into the wardrobe. I was there for _hours_ and I had tea-"

"Don't be silly, Lucy. We've only just came out of that room a moment ago," Susan said, throwing a look at Peter and Edmund who were making fun of the little girl, "You can't have been in there more than a few seconds."

She threw Peter a look that told him he and Edmund had to stop laughing at Lucy. He winked at her and smiled a little naughty. What the- is he _flirting_ with me, Susan asked herself. This was _weird_. He still felt like her big brother, but he also felt like 'just-a-friend' and at some other side as a complete stranger. Now, Susan had always liked strangers.

"She's just making the story up for fun, aren't you, Lu?" Peter said to the little girl.

"No - I'm - _not_!" Lucy got frustrated, "It's magic! It's a magic wardrobe. There's a wood inside it, and it's snowing. And there's a Faun in there who I had tea with. And a Witch! And the place is called Narnia. Come and see!"

"Had tea with a _WHAT_?" Edmund said amused, and he laughed at her in her face. Lucy felt hurt. Susan threw Peter a look for moral help.

"_Let's_ take a look," he said. Edmund agreed silently (at 'let's' Peter had punched Edmund in his ribs with his elbow), and they walked back to the wardrobe. Lucy opened it.

"Now, go and see for yourselves," she said. Peter and Susan went in, and Lucy resisted the urge to lock them up in there. Maybe she would have done it if Edmund was going to, but he stayed out to tease her.

Susan sighed. It was really a huge, dark wardrobe, but she couldn't see a forest. Outside they heard Edmund making fun of Lucy again. Then suddenly, among the soft feeling of fur, Susan felt Peter's warm breath against her skin. His soft lips were in the back of her neck. Susan shivered, she liked that pleasant stranger Peter had turned into.

"I'm sorry for ignoring you," he whispered.

"Forgiven," Susan replied.

"Good," was the answer. So they walked further, all the way back. And then, behind the last row of nice, soft furcoats...


	3. Chapter 3

The Back of the Wardrobe 

Set in the old BBC version 1988.

Susan always felt in a different, indefinable way about Peter. When he tells her that he is adopted, that feelings clear up.

Disowner; Narnia and all her delightful creatures aren't mine. Exept for a few characters, later in the story.

Another one of those bad intimate scenes of mine. I would like it very much if someone could _please_ help me with them!

**Coveredclouds14:** Yea, well, to be honest with you, I already had the first 3 chapters before I dicided to put them in here. After chapter three there will be more time between the chapters. Sorry, (:. But I'm so glad you like it!  
**Dittany:** _Thank_ you! Yes, I really do think Peter and Susan should be together, and although I don't completely detest incest (stories! In real life it's disgusting), I didn't think it would be fitting here.  
**Misfit Writer:** Ah, I hate rushed stories. I'm always as _slooow_ as possible :P And after all; if you put everything interesting in one chapter, then what are the others supposed to be about?  
**HanyAny:** I will, thanks.  
**KibumiWong:** Thankyou, thankyou! (:

In case you guys hadn't noticed, the most things that are in _Italics_ are thoughts or emphases. If not, I'll let you know.

* * *

**III. Where Susan follows Lucy into Narnia, while Peter tries to understand himself**

Susan knocked on the back of the wardrobe. Peter copied the action and then shrugged. They went outside again without looking at eachother.

"Lucy! It's just an ordinary wardrobe!" Susan said.

"Perfectly ordinary. I could see the back of it," Peter said. He couldn't believe that that nine years old girl had drove him so far, that he had walked into a wardrobe. Though it granted him a good chance to make up with Susan. He wondered what she was thinking. He hoped she didn't think... too much. He wasn't at all planning to.. get some kind of relationship with her. Yet. No, if Susan would co-operate, this wasn't going to be a nasty war at all, but to have a relationship with her...

"But..." Lucy walked into the wardrobe and indeed saw the back of it. She touched the solid wood. The solid wood that hadn't been there two minutes ago. She kicked the back out of mere frustration. It only hurt her toes.

"Good joke, Lucy! You really almost got us ther-"

"It wasn't a joke!" Lucy yelled, and Peter flinched. He and Susan exchanged some nervous looks. What the _hell_ was going on with Lucy? Lucy turned to Susan.

"It looked different when _I_ went to go," she said, and then looked at Peter, "Honestly."

"Come on, Lu," Peter's voice was soft and kind, though very severe, "You've had your joke. And you better drop it now." Lucy was so frustrated that she started crying on Susan's shoulder. Edmund made a gesture that suggested Lucy was crazy, and as an answer, Susan threw him a look that suggested he would die. Edmund's bodylanguage suggested he was going to flip her the finger. Then Peter punched Edmund in the face.

Without any suggestion.

Three days later still nothing had happened between Lucy and the wardrobe, nor between Peter and Susan. It was a sunny day and the kids were outside by the pond next to the house. Edmund (with a nasty black eye) was getting himself soaking wet with his attempts to catch a frog that seemed to be one to many for him. Peter, only in shorts, was lying in the grass with his sunglasses, while talking to Susan in bikini, who was bathing her feet in the cool water and tried to get a bit more tanned. That was another difference between Peter and the rest. Peter was already tanned from himself, and as if that wasn't enough to be jealous at for Susan, he also had pigment that reacted quicker and better on the sunlight than hers; she mostly just got burned. She looked at Edmund.

"Oh, why doesn't he just listen, and go change into his swimmingtrunks?"

Peter snickered.

"He's probably still pissed off, because of that punch I gave him," he said. Susan surpressed the urge to laugh, but couldn't stop a big smile from creeping onto her face.

"You shouldn't have done that!" she said, trying not to sound amused (she failed).

"That's not what your face said back there. It still doesn't, by the way. And he just asked for it. He was almost saying 'Oh, dear brother, I beg you. Please place your handsome fist that is ten times bigger then my own, just like other parts of my body," Susan bursted out in laughter, "on my terribly deformed face," Peter said with a high voice.

"He might not be your little brother, he still is _mine_, and people say I look just like him. Does that mean I'm deformed to?" Susan asked him. Let's see what he has to say, she thought. Peter sat up.

"No, that means that God thought Edmund didn't deserve beauty, so he gave all of his beauty to you."

Susan giggled. She wondered if he meant that. Peter sighed and closed his eyes.

"Hmm, this is going to be a real summer after all," he said optimistically.

"Aah, you better touch wood on that!" Susan replied. Peter smiled and watched her make arduous attempts to rub her own back with sunblock. He sat up and sat behind her, with her body inbetween his legs.

"Here, let me do that for you," he said. Susan showed a bit of resistance, since she still found it a weird idea of her big brother – err – _not_ being her big brother. Not that big brothers can't rub their little sisters' backs with sunblock, but this just wasn't – appropriate. Or maybe it _was_. God, Susan didn't even understand herself anymore. So she decided to, hard as it was, just drop the thought. Made harder when she felt Peter's hands on her back and she couldn't decide whether she thought of it wrong or right. The only thing she knew was that _GOD_ that felt good! She closed her eyes and repressed a moan. Peter leaned into her, letting the tanned skin of his bare chest touch her white back. He let his lips caress her neck as if it was an accident, just to give the moment that slight erotic glow. Susan wanted to be there inbetween his legs forever, but at the same time she knew she really needed to get out of there, looking at the fact that she was almost freaking out. At that moment, Lucy came out. Susan stood up.

"Hey!" Peter said, but she pretended not to hear him, and walked up to Lucy. Peter looked at his hands, white from the sunblock. Did he do something wrong? He couldn't understand Susan. Not that _he_ was making any sense. Actually nothing was making sense at the moment.

Susan smiled at her little sister. Lucy didn't smile back. She was still sad from the sudden disappearance of Narnia, combined with the fact that nobody believed her.

"Lucy," Susan placed a hand on Lucy's shoulder, "You must talk to us."

Lucy didn't say anything. Susan pulled back her hand and sighed.

"Why don't you admit it was all a story?"

Lucy looked up at her sister. How could she be so unkind?

"You _know_ I don't lie," said Lucy, "I _never_ lie!"

Susan sighed again, and was about to say something, but Lucy didn't let her.

"It would be the easiest thing in the world to say I made it all up, but I didn't," she looked at the mountains in the far distance, "So I shan't."

"Found some new countries in the cupboard, lately?" the wet Edmund had showed up behind Lucy, and smeared mud in her hair. Susan again threw him one of her nasty looks that suggested his death and then ignored him, but Lucy started crying again and ran inside.

The next day it was raining again. Edmund was being I-read-a-comicbook-bored, Lucy and Susan were being we're-doing-a-puzzle-bored, and Peter was just plain bored in front of the window.

"Come on, Lucy," Susan said, "Try that piece."

Peter walked away from the window.

"Another wet day," he said. When he passed Susan, he brushed a fingertop over the bare skin of her neck. Then he walked at a map of the world, on which the professor with little flags had marked exactly where he had been, and then started to change the flags' places. Edmund stood up and walked up to Lucy, who was trying to find the right place for the piece she was holding. Then, before Susan could stop him, he grabbed the piece out of her hand, and put it in the right place.

"Oh," Susan rested her head on her hands and tried not to curse.

"Edmund!" Lucy whined. Peter turned around and looked at the scene. He just couldn't blame Edmund. Everybody always blamed Edmund, but if Peter was looking at this picture, he got pretty damn sick of Lucy too, whining and pouting only because Edmund was being... – Edmund. He looked at the rather irritated Susan. She needed to chill a little. Just a little distraction from these two souldemanding creatures. He walked back to the table.

"Let's play hide and seek," he then said, "Edmund, you're it."

Edmunds' face clouded, and he looked like he was going to scream.

"Why me?" he exclaimed.

"Because I'm the eldest, and I say so," Peter said and he winked almost invisibly at Susan. Susan blushed. So Edmund started counting. When he heard that everybody had left the room, he counted quicker. He thought he missed some numbers, but she was counting too quickly to be sure. When he was at 50, he opened his eyes and ran outside.

Peter, Lucy and Susan ran out of the room. Peter was running down the hall, until he saw a broom closet.

"Aah, Susan, here we can be alo-" he turned around. Nobody was there, and it kindadisoriented Peter. But then he heard Edmunds quick footsteps and went into the broomcloset.

Lucy was running upstairs, all the way to the attic.

"Mr Tumnus, here I come!" she mumbled. Susan followed her. She was wondering what kind of game Lucy was playing when she had told them of 'Narnia' and this was the perfect time to discover that. Lucy ran into the room with the wardrobe, opened the door, and got in. Susan followed into the room. Then she walked over to the wardrobe.

"Lucy?" Susan looked into the wardrobe. It was dark, "It's not Edmund came to find you. It's me, Susan."

Lucy didn't answer.

"Lucy?"

Susan stepped into the wardrobe. Where was Lucy? She started to panic, "Lucy? Lucy where are you? I know you're in here somewhere!"

She took two steps backwards and – _crunch_. Susan froze for a few seconds. No, she thought, _nonono_. Slowly, _very_ slowly, she turned around. Snow. And trees. And more snow. A cold winterbreeze caressed Susan's bare arms.

"Lucy?" It was a whisper, as if she wasn't aloud to speak out loud, "Lucy?"

Susan decided to walk further. If she would just remember this lamppost – a lamppost, in the middle of the wood? - she would find her way back to the wardrobe. She walked passed the lamppost, and further into the wood.

"Lucy!" this one was harder, "It's Susan! I've got here too!"

It was really cold out here. "LUCY, WHERE ARE YOU?"

Susan walked for half an hour. Still no Lucy. She sighed.

"Lucy! _Do_ come out! I'm sorry I didn't believe you!" No answer. Susan groaned. "Just like that little brat. Sulking; won't accept your apologies."

Bells. Bells in the distance. Susan looked around her. _What_ on earth is that, she thought. It came closer, and closer, and Susan started wondering if it would be wise to stay there. But before she could get away, there was this beautiful white sleigh, coming from around the corner. Two beautiful white horses walked in front of it. Susan's mouth dropped in awe. She absolutely adored those _gorgeous_ horses! The sleigh stopped next to her. In the front sat some disgustingly ugly dwarf. In the back sat this beautiful woman, with pale skin, and a wand and a crown and _god_ Susan wished she had a dress like that! The woman looked down on her with a arrogant look.

"And _what_prey are you?" she asked. Her voice was hard, cold. Frightening.

"M – my name is Susan,"Susan stuttered.

"Is THAT how you talk to a queen?" Susan felt like running away _very_ quick, but her legs wouldn't let her.

"I beg you pardon, I didn't know – Your Majesty," she added quickly.

"You don't know the queen of Narnia? You shall know us better after this," she laughed an icy laugh.

"WELL," Susan flinched, "Answer my question. What are you?"

"Please Your Majesty! I – I don't know what you mean," the queen looked rather pissed off, so Susan just started talking about everything that she could think of. Which wasn't much, "I'm at school. Or at least I was. It's the holidays now –"

"But what are you? What _are_ you?" the queen was irritated, "Are you a great overgrown dwarf that has cut of his beard?"

"Oh no, Your Majesty," Susan said, "I never had a beard. And I will never have one. I'm a girl."

The queen's jaw dropped.

"A girl," she whispered. She looked at the ground for a moment, and then back up to Susan, "Do you mean you're a Daughter of Eve?"

Susan looked at her with a confused expression on her face. HOW did she got into this situation? WHY was it that everywhere she came, nobody seemed to make sense? Peter; acting so strange as he does, Edmund; well, he had never really made sense, and Lucy; no, wait, she made perfect sense now.

"Well, I can see you're an idiot, whatever else you may be! Answer my question once and for all, or I shall lose my patience!" the queen was almost yelling now, and Susan flinched, "ARE YOU - human?"

"Oh _yes_ Your Majesty!" Susan said, happy with a question she actually _could_ answer, however weird it was.

"And how – GIRL – have you come to enter MY domain?"

"Please Your Majesty, I came in through the wardrobe!"

It was silent for a minute. The queen had a pretty dumb expression on her face.

"What do you mean?" she asked, not very charming.

"Well, I err – I just opened a door, and found myself here, Your Majesty!" Susan said. That sounds _so_ stupid, she thought. The queen looked at the snow, with eyes widened with – err – _some _kind of emotion.

"A door. A door from the world of men! I've heard of such things before," she looked at the dwarf, "This may recall!"

"She's only _one_ of them," the dwarf said, "Easily dealed with."

The witch stood up, obviously wanting to kill Susan. She flinched. Why was _GOD_ doing this to her?

"Yet, she might know something," the dwarf added. The queen sat back down. Her look softened, and so did _thankgod_ her voice.

"My poor child," she said, "How cold do you look! Come, sit by me on my sleigh. Than I will wrap a mantle around you, and we can talk."

Susan wasn't sure what to do, but she actually _was_ cold and tired, and it wouldn't hurt for just a few minutes, right? So she sat down, and the queen wrapped a heavenly warm mantle around her.

"Do you feel a little better?" the queen asked. Susan nodded, scared by the queen's fingers that ran over her cheek, "Perhaps something hot, to drink! Would you like that?"

"Hm, yes please!" the queen's eyes widened, "Your Majesty!" Susan quickly added. This woman was sweet and soft and at the same time cold and icy and _extremely_ terrifying. But that didn't surprise Susan. After all this woman _was_ a queen. The queen took a little silver bottle out of her pocket, and let one drop of the blue fluid that was inside it fall to the ground. Susan watched how it swiftly turned into a silver mug.

"There you go," the dwarf reached her the mug. Susan took it. She took a hesitating sip from the bubbling liquid, which turned out to be hot chocolat. _Okay,_ Susan thought, _I'll stick around for a while._

"Aah!" the queen said, "You like that?"

Susan nodded. She started to feel a little bit more comfortable now the queen had stopped yelling at her.

"Oh yes, Your Majesty. It makes me feel warm, right down to my toes!" Susan said. The queen took the empty mug and threw it away, where it disappeared in thin air.

"But it is wrong, Daughter of Eve, to drink without eating!" the queen said, "So what would you like to eat best in all the world?"

Susan thought. What did she like best? She liked a lot of things. Then, was there something she had never tasted before? Oh, right, Edmund had told her about something... what was it again... err...

"-turkish delight!" Susan said.

"Turkish delight, there shall be!" and again a little drop of the blue liquid turned into a silver box with Edmund's favourite candy. Susan snickered. If he knew she had this much Turkish Delight, he would definately be jealous. She opened the box and took a bite.

"Oh, this is good!" she said. Edmund had a good taste of candy. The queen smiled at her.

"Now, Daughter of Eve," she said, "I'm eager to know _all_ about you!" she hesitated, "You are here alone? There are no – _others_ with you?"

Susan chewed on the last piece of Turkish Delight, and then put the empty box beside her.

"I'm not sure, Your Majesty. I have this sister... - Actually I have a sister, a brother, and a foster brother,"

"Two, three, four – FOUR!"

Susan looked up at the queen with a startled look in her eyes. The queen's eyes had widened and she looked slightly paniced. Then she looked at Susan. Susan nodded. The queen's face softened again.

"And where are they? These other three – _humans_?" It sounded nicely, and at the same time terrifying.

"Can't say for sure," said Susan, "One of them, Lucy – you see, nobody would believe her when she said that she's been here and had tea with a faun called Tumnus."

A gasp of breath from the queen. _I'm going to kill her if I keep on scaring her like that,_ Susan thought.

"Anyway, we are the only ones in the human world who know about – what do you call it here? – Narnia!" Susan said, hoping that wouldn't scare the queen, for whatever reason she was scared of all the time. But when she looked besides at the queen, she didn't seem to have heard that last announcement.

"Four of them," she muttered to herself, "The prophecy of Cair Paravel!"

Susan couldn't make any sense out of it and to prevent herself from going mad, she pretended she hadn't heard it. The queen blinked a couple of times and then turned back to reality. _For so far this can logically **be** reality_. She smiled and looked at the seventeen-year-old sitting next to her in her sleigh.

"Daughter of Eve, I would very much like to meet your brothers and sister. You must bring them to me!" sha said, and although it sounded kind and definately appealing (_Peter has always loved snow, and Lucy would die for such a dress. And if she can make tons of Turkish Delight by only one drop of that blue fluid, I'm sure Edmund would like it here too_), it slightly alarmed Susan.

"Alright, I'll try," Susan said, to not turn the queen down.

"Because when you'll bring them to me, I shall give you more Turkish Delight!" the queen said, trying to seduce Susan. Susan shivered. Now the box was empty, she started to feel sick.

"Oh, I really can't eat more," she muttered.

"I thought you would!" the queen said self-satisfied. Susan raised an eyebrow. _Oh, she must've thought I said that I could eat more._ The queen smiled at her and nicely pushed Susan out of the sleigh, which kinda surprised her.

"You should come to my house. My magic house," Susan shivered again. This didn't feel good at all. Screw Edmund and his candy! "It is a lovely place, my house. Exept for one thing," the queen made a sad face, "I have no children of my own."

_I think I'm going to be sick_, Susan thought, while the queen went on and on, "I would so much like a nice girl. She could be a princess!" _Oh please, I'm seventeen, and I really wanna leave now!_ Her feet were cold and her head ached with the overload of sugar, while the queen kept talking, "She would be Queen of Narnia when I'm gone! She would wear a golden crown and eat Turkish Delight _all_ day!" Susan retched and tried to shut that image out. _Now that woman is going to be MY death, instead of the other way around!_ Thankgod she was no longer in that sleigh, with the queen sticking to her body. The queen smiled a sneaky smile, "And since you are the smartest and most beautiful girl I have ever met, I wish to make _you_ Princess!" Susan managed a smile, "_If_ you bring the others!"

Susan knew she had to answer, but she was so scared she would throw up if she opened her mouth, that she wisely kept it shut.

"Now you must go back to your own country and return to me another time," the queen said, "with them."

"I don't even know the way back," Susan said grumpy.

"Well THAT is easy," the queen held up a hand and above it appeared a miniature lamppost, "You know how to get to that lamp?" Susan nodded, "Good. I think somewhere beyond that lies the world of men."

Susan moved. She felt like her bare feet (Mrs MacReady had forbidden them to wear shoes anywhere else than outside or in their own room) were dying off. The queen pointed in the far distance at two mountains.

"You see those hills?"

"Yeah," Susan said, immediatly slapping a hand over her mouth to prevent herself from puking.

"My house is right between those hills. So, next time remember; lamp, wood, hills, my house! But you must bring the others with you, or I might have to be very angry with you," she said with an icy look, "But don't tell them about me. Make it a lovely surprise. If your sister has met one of those fauns, she may have heard nasty stories about me, that might make them afraid to come," _Wouldn't surprise me at all,_ "Fauns will say anything, you know. So let's keep it a secret."

Susan nodded.

"Bye my Princess. I will see you soon I hope."

The dwarf gassed the horses, and gone was the sleigh.

"Bye my Queen. I will see you never again I hope," Susan muttered. God, what a nasty person. This country wasn't very lucky with such a queen! Retching she kneeled down in the snow, and then puked all her insides out. _Okay, that's relieving_.

When she came back to the lamppost half an hour later, she bumped into Lucy.

"Susan!" she yelled happy, and she hugged her big sister tightly, almost causing her to puke again, "You've got in too! Oh, isn't it wonderful?"

"Alright, I think I believe you now," Susan said, pushing her little sister off, "It is a magic wardrobe, and I'll say I'm sorry if you like. But where on _earth_ have you been? I've been looking everywhere for you!"

"With mr Tumnus, the faun! The White Witch has done nothing to him for letting me gp. So perhaps..." Lucy's expression was one of delightful elation, "Perhaps, everything is going to be alright after all!"

"The White Witch?" Susan had a hunch, "Who is she?" she asked, just to be sure. Lucy's face darkened under an angry frown.

"She calls herself the Queen of Narnia, but she really isn't. She does all kinds of terrible things to anyone who even dares to _think_ anything against her," Ahorrible feeling krept into Susan's chest. Had she just screwed it up for Lucy's friend? She could hear it clearly in her mind "_-you see, nobody would believe her when she said she had tea with a faun called Tumnus._"Lucy looked at Susan, "Are you alright? You look aweful!"

"What would you expect, it's freezing," Susan said. She was very shocked about that piece of information about the woman she had just met, and yet not surprised at all.

"Let's go," Lucy grabbed her big sister's hand and took her back through the wardrobe. When they were back in the spare room, Lucy turned to face Susan.

"Susan, I'm glad you've got in too. The others will have to believe in Narnia now both of us have been there!"

Susan managed a smile.

"Let's go look for the others," she said. Lucy nodded. They bumped into Peter and Edmund in one of the corridors, arguing (ofcourse).

"Edmund! Peter!" Lucy yelled. Susan didn't know what to do. Lucy was sure going to tell them about Narnia. They would be eager to go there, and then they might walk into the queen. No, the White Witch.

"What is it, Lucy?" Peter asked. Lucy smiled widely.

"It's all true! Narnia _is_ in the wardrobe! I've been there again, and so did Susan this time!" she exclaimed happily. Peter and Edmund glanced at eachother, and then looked back at Lucy. Edmund raised an eyebrow and Peter shook his head, smiling somewhat helpless as if to say that this was out of his hands. Lucy's smile faded and with a light panicing undertone, she turned to Susan.

"Go on, and tell them what you saw! Tell them, Susan!" she yelled. All eyes were on Susan now. Unpleasantly surprised by the sudden turn of attention, Susan started to panic even more than Lucy.

"Well, Sue? What is this all about?" Peter asked, encouraging her answer. Susan took a deep breath. _Okay, there I go_.

"Well –"

* * *

As from the next chapter, this story is going to be less BBC-based and more 'my-imagination'-based. And ofcourse my extra credit goes to **Aminuleen**. Thanks. 


	4. Chapter 4

_The Back of the Wardrobe_

Susan always felt in a different, indefinable way about Peter. When he tells her that he is adopted, that feelings clear up.

Disowner; Narnia and all her delightful creatures aren't mine. Exept for a few characters, later in the story.

**KibumiWong:** Thank you thank you thank you! God, I'm everytime absolutely delighted by your reviews:)  
**Living Beauty:** Here you go:P  
**Dittany:** Yes, I think so too. It gives a pretty hard twist to the perspectives. Happy you like it!  
**Celine K.S:** Don't bother, me too. And the rest should do so too, looking at the fact that a twelve years old Richard Dempsey isn't exactly sexy and neither does he look like eightteen, like he is in my story. Especially in comparison to indeed the _very_ nice William Moseley. With the BBC-version, I mean I've used pieces of the script, and the BBC-way of happenings, not the picture of the actors. For example; in the film Lucy finds the wardrobe while playing hide and seek. In the BBC-version, Lucy finds the wardrobe when they are exploring the house. And for the second time; William Moseley as Peter is just _so_ sexy. And also when I think Edmund, I see Skandar Keynes, who is definately my favourite of those two.

* * *

**IV. In which Peter, Edmund and Susan lose Lucy out of sight, and try to find her in places beyond imagination**

"Well, I'm kind of ashamed to admit this -" Lucy gave Susan a big smile and Susan hesitated. Then she broke her eyes away from the eight-year-old and looked at Peter and Edmund, "- but I've been playing along with her. We were sitting in the wardrobe, waiting for you to find us, and we were bored. And yes, I know I'm too old for such rubbish, but after all Lucy _is_ my little sister."

She patted Lucy's head. Lucy's jaw dropped. Did she just say that? Did she just actually _say that_? Why? Why was she lying? This was the kind of thing she would expect from Edmund, but _Susan_…

"You are so –" Lucy started, but when her tears started to fall, she broke the sentence off and just ran away. Peter, Edmund and Susan watched her until she was out of sight. _Well, that was nicely handled!_ Susan told herself reprovingly.

"Wow," there was a sound of impression in Edmund's voice, "I didn't think you could make Lucy cry by just playing along!" he scratched the back of his neck with a puzzled expression on his face, "Actually I didn't think _you_ could make Lucy cry _at all_. I'm quitting, by the way."

Edmund left the same way Lucy went, and Susan looked at Peter. He was just staring at her. She glanced down to the floor with a growing feeling of guilt in her chest.

"I would never have expected this from you," he said. Tears gathered in Susan's eyes. If he only knew. She didn't know how much damage the queen – no, the White Witch – could do to her siblings.

"Peter, I'm so-"

"What good do you think it'll do to one minute tell her to stop going on about her magical Wardrobe-land, and then encouraging her the next?"

"It's all rubbish," Susan said, not looking up from the ground.

"Ofcourse it is! That is just the _point_!" Peter looked Susan in the eyes. Why? It wasn't even Lucy. It was more the fact that she was lying to him _at all_, "Now let's go and find Lucy."

"I don't care what you think!" Lucy yelled. She was sitting on a chair, with her back turned towards Susan and Peter, "I don't care what you say!"

Peter glanced at Susan.

"Lucy, don't make us go and tell –"

"You can tell the professor! Or mother!" Lucy stood up. Peter would never have thought that it could be so terrifying to have an eight-year-old girl yelling at you. But then again, he would also never have thought that a seventeen-year-old girl would set that eight-year-old girl up to doing this.

"You can do anything you like! But I know I've been there. I know I've met a faun!" Lucy pointed at Peter, "You are ignorant!" and then at Susan, "And you are a liar!"

Then she ran away. Peter glanced at Susan. She looked like she could faint any minute. How could he stay mad at a girl so vulnerable, ashamed and sad. And after all, playing a game wasn't a crime.

"Oh, come here, I forgive you, Sue," Peter said and he pulled Susan into a friendly hug, "Sorry for yelling at you. But now we should go and see the professor. I'm really worried!"

* * *

"Come in!" 

Peter and Susan stepped into the cozy office of the professor. He was sitting at his desk, and looked up them.

"Well! How nice. Peter and Susan,"

Peter and Susan nodded and walked forward to the desk.

"We don't mean to interrupt," Susan said, hoping they would be sent away. The professor sat back in his chair.

"Young lady, I'm afraid I am always absolutely _delighted_ to be interrupted! If one would never be interrupted, life would be nothing but work," the old man made Susan smile, "I am at your disposal. Grab some chairs."

Peter and Susan sat down in front of the desk.

"It is our sister, sir," Peter said, "She thinks she has found a magic land in the wardrobe upstairs. She doesn't stop talking about it. And when we say we don't believe her and that she should stop, she starts crying or gets angry!" He looked at Susan. She was looking at the floor and appeared a little pale, "So we wondered if you could give us some advice, because we really don't know what to do."

The professor put his glasses down on the wooden desk, and clapped his hands together.

"I would like to know, children, how often does your sister lie?"

"Well, that's just the funny thing, sir," Peter said, "Normally I would have said never, but now I'm doubting that."

"Okay then, first of all, how do you know for sure your sister isn't telling the truth?" he asked. Peter stared at him.

"The _truth_?" he said. "A _magic country_, in a _wardrobe_?"

"That is more than I know," the professor said seriously, and he straightened his back, "But to accuse an honest person of lying is a very serious thing. A very serious thing indeed."

"I'm afraid –" Peter started, looking at Susan for support (which he didn't get, and it didn't seem like he was going to get it later either), "-that it might not even be lying. I think there might be something… wrong with her."

"Madness, you mean? Oh no, I can be easy about that," the professor said, waving Peter's suggestion away, "One would only have to look at her and talk to her, to know that she is not mad."

"But then-"

"Oh, logic! Why don't they teach logic on these schools?" the professor exclaimed, "Look, there are only three possibilities. Either your sister is one; telling lies, or two; she is mad, or three; she is telling the truth. One; you say that your sister never lies, two; it is perfectly obvious that she is not mad. So for the moment, until other evidence turns up, we must assume three; she is telling the truth."

Peter threw Susan look-for-support number tenthousand, but now permanently concluded that he wasn't going to get any support at all, since she never returned the look, and during the whole conversation hadn't said a word. He turned to the professor again.

"But how can it be true?" he asked.

"Why do you say that?"

"Well, Lucy said that Susan went too," Susan looked up a little startled, "But according to Susan they were only pretending!"

"Now were you?" the professor's gaze pierced Susan's. She didn't answer, but as soon his gaze released hers, it dropped to the floor again.

"I think I know enough," the professor said, and he turned to Peter, "You need to have a good conversation with your sister. And leave the other sister out of it."

So then Susan and Peter were outside again.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Peter asked. Susan shrugged and looked away from him. Peter sighed annoyed, "Oh, nevermind. Go do something. I'm going to have a talk with Lucy. And you're left out, like the professor said."

Susan watched Peter walking down the long hallway.

"I'm afraid _I_ am not the sister that has to be left out of this," she said, when he was out of hearing range. She doubted her decision. Was it fair to have Lucy called crazy, when she wasn't and Susan's word was the only evidence of that? No. But then again, was it fair to put all four of them in potential danger, just to let Lucy experience the satisfaction of the words 'told you'? Neither. Susan walked to the room what they saw as their own livingroom, and sat down on the couch, next to Edmund. The sixteen-year-old boy was resting his crossed legs on the coffeetable and was reading the same comicbook as he was reading before they did hide and seek.

"Hey, overgrown toddler," he said, "Did I mention the footbalfield in the bathroomcupboard? Maybe Lucy and you should go and see that."

Susan ignored him, and grabbed a magazine.

"I can't believe you actually played along with her," Edmund said smirking, "We just _think_ you're seventeen, but you really are only five."

"If you are trying to get me to insult you; that is not going to happen tonight," Susan said, tired from Edmund's childish talk.

"No, I'm not trying to make you insult me. Cause however hard I'll try, you'll never manage to do just that," Edmund replied. Susan sighed annoyed.

"Oh, can you at least pretend to be sixteen?"

"I don't have to pretend to do that. I was born sixteen years ago,"

"Don't try to smart me out, baby brother,"

"I've just done that!"

"Oh, shut up,"

"Make me!"

Peter watched the picture of Susan trying to kill Edmund while he was yelling at her rather choked insults. He made a little sound to make them conscious of his presence. Susan was the first one to react.

"How did it go?"

"I can't find her," Peter said. Susan sighed. She knew where Lucy was, and wished she could tell Peter. Edmund pushed her off.

"Probably in one of her – _cough_ – magic lands," he said, gasping for breath. Susan had almost suffocated him.

"Do you think she –" Peter started, looking at the ceiling.

"That she's in her wardrobe? Yes, probably," Edmund said. On that, Peter started walking to the stairs.

"Aah, I wanna see this!" Edmund said, and he followed Peter. Susan followed to.

"Ooh, come on guys, give her some time alone," Susan said, trying to stop them, "She is upset."

"Err, hello! _I_ am not the one who made her upset in the _first_ place!" Peter said, not turning around. Edmund grinned. Susan growled. They went all the way up to the attic, to spare room with the wardrobe.

"Lucy?" said Peter while he walked towards the wardrobe. The door was open, "Lucy? We're sorry for upsetting you. Come out, please."

No answer.

"Don't make me come in there, Lu," Peter said, voice stern. He looked behind him at Edmund and Susan.

"Oh my god, you've got to be kidding me," Peter muttered to himself, and he stepped into the wardrobe.

"Oh, Peter, come on out!" Susan said, while she stepped into the wardrobe, trying to pull him out. But then Edmund stepped into.

"Go back, Edmund!" Susan growled at her younger brother, "It's not big enough."

"No," said Edmund simply.

"Edmund!" Peter yelled, when Edmund let go of the door, "Hold that door! NEVER shut yourself in a –" there was a loud _click_ and complete darkness "-wardrobe."

"Shit," Edmund muttered.

"Well, thank you Ed! You screwed up!" Susan said, perfectly aware of the absence of Narnia. A sudden yelp from Peter made her jump.

"ED, MY TOES!"

"I'm not _on_ your toes!"

Edmund pushed Susan aside, right into Peter's arms.

"Watch where you're going!" Susan said, not moving, for Peter's arms wasn't the worst place to be. Especially at times like these, although she was kind of worried about Edmund so close to them.

"_How_ am I supposed to _watch_ where I'm _going_?" Edmund growled, "There is nothing to _watch_ and neither is there a place to _go_. And it is so damn dark in here!"

Peter heard him move through the closet, and tightened his grip around Susan's waist. She didn't protest, so he assumed it was okay. He buried his face in her hair and inhaled the smell of her perfume.

"Like it?" Susan whispered. Peter grinned and she felt him nodding. Peter stroked her hair out of her neck, and pushed a long serie of soft kisses on the bare skin. It made her shiver and chuckle. _I hate to admit it, but... okay, I'm in love_, she concluded. Edmund was still moving and muttering and causing a lot of sound.

"...and now I'm stuck here with you two in a freaking wardrobe. And all because Lucy thought it would be funny to tell us a story about one of her stupid games. I didn't even believe her, and still I am stuck here in this goddamned-"

A sudden stop of all sound and movement alarmed Peter.

"Ed?"

"Oh my god," Edmund whispered.

"Ed?"

"No, I'm dreaming. This is stupid."

"ED!"

"W-what?" it sounded a bit disoriented.

"What is it?"

"Branches."

"What?"

"Branches!"

Susan froze, Peter sighed.

"Oh come on, Edmund. We're locked in a wardrobe. This is not the time to make fun of Lucy. She isn't even here."

"I think she might,"

"Oh please,"

"But there are branches!"

"Oh, come _on_!"

"I'm serious! Here," they heard a _crack_ and one second later, Peter felt a branch almost sticking into his nose.

"Get away with that thing! Where did you find it?"

"HERE, goddamnit!"

Edmund moved around and pushed Peter and Susan out as hard as he could. They slammed to the floor, and Peter yelled when he hit something hard. Something solid. Something big, and dark. For one second Peter thought it was the back of the wardrobe, but the next he realized that this was nothing alike that. _What? A tree?_ he thought. Susan looked around and restrained a heavy sigh. This was most certainly Narnia, the only difference (and explanation for the thick darkness) was, that it was nighttime now. Peter stood up and a moonbeam hit his face.

"Impossible!" he said with an awed smile. Edmund followed.

"So we've gotten into Lucy's wood after all!" he concluded.

"Let's put on furcoats," Peter said, "It's cold and we'll have to go and try to find Lucy anyway, so we better do that warm."

He reached them furcoats. Then they walked further into the wood, until they saw a lantern. And there, sobbing against the cold steel, sat Lucy.

"Lucy!" she looked up when she heard her oldest brother yell her name, "I am so sorry I didn't believe you."

She smiled and wiped her tears away. So they were here after all!

"Yes, me too. Although I hate to admit it," Edmund said, looking around.

"It's alright," Lucy replied, throwing Susan a nasty look that was very similar to Susan's own death-suggestion-looks. Peter followed it, and suddenly his happy face clouded under a furious frown.

"Liar," it was a soft word, but filled with so much disbelief and threatening anger, that Susan already cringed by hearing it, "It's disgusting."

"Peter, listen-"

"Shut up!" Susan flinched, "You've been lying to us, and humiliating Lucy more than we did by that. What, did we deserve it?"

"You should really listen to m-"

"APOLOGIZE TO LUCY!"

"_Okay_!" now Susan got a little annoyed, "I'm sorry! Just hear me ou-"

"Shut up!" Peter exclaimed again, "You're just making everything worse by saying any more!"

"I meant to tell you –"

"Yeah, well, you didn't," Edmund said mocking.

"You don't understand," Susan said angry.

"Try me," Peter replied. Susan took a deep breath. Now that they were here, and they knew she had been here before, there was no use in not telling them any longer.

"I've indeed been here before. But not together with Lucy. I followed her in, then lost her out of sight," Susan turned to Lucy, "That queen you told me about –"

"The White Witch,"

"The White Witch, sorry. I met her,"

Lucy laughed at her as if that couldn't be true, but when she saw Susan's over-serious face, that smile faded.

"You did?" she asked. Susan nodded.

"She gave me something to drink and something to eat, and tried to seduce me with promises I would become a Narnian Princess –"

"Seduce you? Into what?" Edmund asked.

"To come back to her, and take you guys with me," Susan said.

"That is no reason to lie to us! She sounds like a very reasonable woman!" Peter yelled pissed off.

"You still don't understand," Susan said.

"Oh, I think I understand. Did you really expect us to come in here and steal your place as a Narnian Princess?" Peter said mocking, "Oh come on, you are _seventeen_, Susan. Grow up!"

"No –"

"Shut up, Susan," Peter cut her off. Lucy turned to face Peter.

"No, YOU shut up," she said. Peter raised a surprised eyebrow.

"What –"

"SHUT UP, I said," Lucy repeated, "We must hear Susan out, for she might have something important to say."

Peter grinned somewhat helpless, but when he opened his mouth to say something, Lucy pointed a threatening finger at him.

"You're not saying a thing until I say so," she said. Peter bowed to Edmund.

"I'm being bullied by a nine-year-old," he whispered. Edmund laughed. Even harder, when Lucy kicked Peter in his balls.

"That woman is dangerous," Susan said, when Peter had stopped moaning, "I knew that if I told you that Narnia existed, you would be eager to go there. What I didn't knew, was what was going to happen if we'd bump into the queen. Which is why I decided to lie in the first place."

Lucy turned to Peter.

"Now you get it?" she asked. Peter shook his head, with a questioning look on Susan. Lucy sighed.

"Listen to me. Susan did the right thing. It hurt me, but it was right, and you know why?" Peter shook his head, "Because when Susan had let me bring you here, we would probably all be dead right now."

That scared them all, even Edmund, too much to say anything.

"Why?" Edmund said with terror in his face. Lucy shrugged and smiled; she obviously already lost the angst.

"I don't know, she just likes to kill. They don't see humans here very often, you know. And now I want you all to meet mr Tumnus!" she said.

"Well – then mr Tumnus it is," Peter replied a little disoriented. Lucy grabbed Edmunds hand and dragged him along. Peter faced Susan.

"And still I find you disgusting, Susan. I didn't deserve this," he said to Susan, and then he turned around and followed Lucy and Edmund, leaving Susan thrown off. She had a weird combination of frustration and hatred and love in her stomach.

"Lucy says I just saved your life, Peter," she said to herself, "I'll get you back for this. I'm gonna make you drop that ungrateful attitude."

Then Susan followed too.


	5. Chapter 5

_The Back of the Wardrobe_

Susan always felt in a different, indefinable way about Peter. When he tells her that he is adopted, that feelings clear up.

Disowner; Narnia and all her delightful creatures aren't mine. Exept for a few characters, later in the story.

**Covered Clouds:** Thanks. I'll try to keep that opinion up :P  
**Aminuleen:** But that's exactly what I'm trying to do; make Susan feel like shit. Who wouldn't feel like shit when you're doing the right thing but the love of your life can't appreciate it?  
**KibumiWong:** I simply adore your reviews :D. Well, Susan is pissed off, who wouldn't be?  
**HiddenOperaAngel:** Ah well, you'll have to do it with that. It indeed maybe was a bit – crazy, but in some way I kinda tried to show that Peter of course has his physical weak spots, like any other guy. Peter is always pictured as rather untouchable, sometimes even like in devine. But he's just an ordinary guy, and although it might not have been quite right for the type of story; Peter's human too. Actually, that's what the whole Narnia-thing is about, if you think of it that way. But thanks anyway.

* * *

**V. In which Susan's attempt to be the hero fails terribly, and everything goes wrongwrongwrong**

"Where were we going again?" Edmund asked whiney. They had been plodded through the snow for fifteen minutes now.

"To see mr Tumnus!" Lucy was so happy her brothers and sisters were here now. Even Susan. She had forgiven her sister, after all Susan did it for the right reasons. Lucy wished Peter could forgive her too, since he obviously hadn't. Edmund obviously didn't care about any of it.

"Here we are!" Lucy said, throwing a happy look at the door of mr Tumnus' cave. Peter looked at his little sister. It alarmed him, the way her happy eyes turned to terror, the way her broad smile faded.

"No!" Lucy started running towards the door, that hung crooked in the opening. Peter ran after her, Susan and Edmund on his heels. Quietly Lucy stepped into her friend's house. Everything was turned upside down. She had to try very hard to keep the tears in, especially when she saw his favourite cup, shattered on the floor. Peter layed an arm over his little sister's shoulders.

"This place is cold. There hasn't been lived here for days!" he said.

"Not since the last time _I_ was here," Lucy said, grabbing a piece of the cup and holding it tightly.

"What's this?" Edmund walked up to the table. There was a note lying on it. He held it in the light of the moon, and the others gathered around him, "_The Faun Tumnus is under arrest and awaiting trial in charge of high treason against Her Imperial Majesty Jadis; Queen of Narnia, Chatelaine of Cair Paravel, Empress of the Lone Islands etc. Also for comforting Her Majesty's enemies, harbouring spies, and above all; fraternizing with Humans. Signed by Maugrim, Captain of the Secret Police. Long live the Queen!_" Edmund lowered the paper, "Well, she certainly knows how to get rid of ugly business," he said. Peter sighed.

"I don't think I'm going to like this place,"

"No, that's why I really think we should go now," Susan said. How in god's name did they end up here?

"Who is this queen, Lucy?" Edmund asked. Lucy sighed annoyed.

"_This_, Edmund, is the White Witch I told you about. She made an enchantment over the whole country. So it is always winter, yet never christmas."

"I wonder if there's any point in going on," Peter said, "It's getting colder and more dangerous every minute, and we have nothing to eat. Why don't we just go home."

"But we can't!" Lucy exclaimed, "We cant 'just go home'! It's all on my account that mr Tumnus is captured by the White Witch! Fraternizing with humans," she pointed at the piece of paper in Edmund's hand, "I'm that human! She must've found out he helped me. We must try and rescue him."

"If he's arrested for being with a human, there's not much we can do," Edmund said, "What do you think, Susan?"

Peter wished he was the one to do that. Asking Susan what to do. But he couldn't. He felt so lonely right now. Lucy was too little for reasonable talk, Edmund turned into a stanger a long time ago, and now that he couldn't even trust Susan anymore...

"I don't want to go a step further," Susan said, "And I wish we had never come. But I think Lucy is right. We must try to do something for mr Whatever-his-name-is."

Susan felt so bad about this. Especially because she realized who had betrayed him. She screwed up.

"I agree," Edmund said, and the tone in his voice surprised Peter, "But I'm worried about having no food."

"Why don't we go back and get something from the larder?" Peter said.

"Well, there's no certainty we'll get back here once were out of it," Lucy said, "You do remember that the first time you checked, there was nothing there. I think we have to go on."

"So do I," said Susan.

"Right," Peter said, and they just started walking in some direction. Edmund and Lucy walked together in the front, Peter behind them and Susan in the back. After a long silence in which Susan kept hoping that Peter would talk to her and at one point even wished she would have stayed with the Witch, she walked up to Peter herself.

"Excuse me sir, if you're not still to high to talk to me," she said. Peter turned around with a sigh.

"Okay, okay, what is it?" he said, annoyed about her sarcasm but relieved that she at least _was_ talking to him.

"Look, we don't even know where this faun's imprisoned," she said. _Well, I do, but you don't,_ she thought.

"No-"

"And another thing, how do we know he is in the right? How do we know this queen's really such a terrible witch?"

"That's something I've been considering all this time," Edmund said, while turning back to them.

"Yes, but the faun saved Lucy," Peter said.

"Yeah, so he said," Edmund said, "But how do _we_ know?"

"Peter!" Lucy stood by a tree, about seven meters from them.

"What is it?" Peter asked.

"Shh," Lucy said, "Listen." Peter didn't hear anything. Edmund did. Very softly, from really rather close...

"Psst,"

Edmund turned slowly and soundless around, and looked into the wood. A little bird sat down on a branch.

"Psst,"

Edmund straightened his back, and his jaw dropped.

"Did that bird just psst us?" he asked stunned.

"No," Lucy said, "It was that beaver."

They all turned around and saw a beaver sitting behind a pile of snow.

"Psst," he did, "This way."

Edmund started laughing loudly.

"A beaver!" he said, laughing it away.

"Shht! Be quiet!" the beaver said, and Edmund stopped laughing, "Further in!"

Peter looked at Susan and forgot for a few seconds that he was actually angry at her.

"It wants us to follow it!" Lucy said.

"The question is, should we?" Peter replied.

"Problem?" the beaver asked softly.

"Not to seem rude, mr Beaver, but we don't know wether we should trust you or not," Peter said. The beaver walked up to Lucy and gave her a white piece of cloth. Her jaw dropped.

"It's my handkerchief! The one I gave to mr Tumnus when he was crying!" she said. The beaver nodded.

"We must go further in. We're not safe here," and when he started walking again, they decided to follow him. They walked for quite a time, until they finally reached a small valley with a frozen lake. In the middle of the lake, stood a dam.

"What a lovely dam!" Lucy said sincerely.

"Oh, merely a trifle," Beaver said. When they got down, the door went open and a female beaver stormed out.

"Beaver, is that you? I've been worried sick! If I find you've been out with badger again, I-" she stopped when she saw the four siblings.

"Oh, those aren't badgers!" they heard her muttering to herself, "To think that I would live to see this day!" she turned to Beaver, "Look at my fur! You couldn't give me ten minutes warning?"

"Oh, I'd have given a week, if I thought it would've helped!"

The siblings chuckled. Mrs Beaver ignored him.

"Come inside, and we'll see if I can get you some food," she glanced at mr Beaver, "and some _civilized_ company."

So five minutes later they were inside. Lucy, Peter and Susan with mr Beaver at the table, Edmund on the stairs.

"Isn't there anything we can do to help Tumnus?" Peter asked.

"They'll have taken him to the Witch's house. You know what they say," Beaver said, "There's few that go into those gates, that ever come out again."

"Fish-n-Chips!" mrs Beaver called, and she put plates with food in front of the siblings. Thankful they began to eat. Mrs Beaver sat down next to Lucy, "But there's hope, dear. Lots of hope!"

"Oh yeah, there's a right bit more than hope!" mr Beaver said. He bowed forwards, "Aslan is on the move."

In some way it made the Pevensies feel better than they had ever felt. Even Edmund couldn't stop a smile from creeping onto his face. He stood up from his place on the stairs.

"Who's Aslan?" he asked smiling.

"Who's Aslan? Haha! You cheeky little blighter," mr Beaver laughed, and Edmund's smile faded. The other Pevensies stared at mr Beaver, and mrs Beaver poked him in his side. He looked up at the siblings and then his jaw dropped.

"You don't know, do ya?"

"Well, we haven't exactly been here very long," Peter said.

"Oh, he's only the king of the whole wood," mr Beaver replied mocking, "The top geezer. The real King of Narnia."

"He's been away for a long while," mrs Beaver said.

"But he's just got back!" mr Beaver added, "And he's waitin' for you near the Stone Table!"

"He's waiting for _us_?" Lucy asked rather stunned.

"You're bloomin' joking!" he turned to mrs Beaver, "They don't even know about the prophecy!"

"Well, then..." mrs Beaver said encouraging, pointing at the siblings. Mr Beaver sighed.

"Look. Aslans return, Tumnus' arrest, the Secret Police; it's all happening because of you!"

"Great, you're blaming us," Susan said, not sure if she could handle all the guilt.

"No! Not blaming! No, _thanking_ you!" mrs Beaver said, with a happy flicker in her little eyes.

"There's a prophecy," mr Beaver said, "_When Adam's flesh and Adam's bone, sits at Cair Paravel in throne, the evil time will be over and done._"

"You know, that doesn't really rhyme," Edmund said.

"Yeah, I know it doesn't, but you're kinda missing the point!" mr Beaver said. Mrs Beaver rested a little paw on her husband's shoulder.

"It has long been foretold that two Sons of Adam and two Daughters of Eve will defeat the White Witch and restore peace to Narnia," she said. Peter threw Susan a nasty look, as if to say that this was all her fault.

"And you think _we're_ the ones?" he asked unpleasantly surprised. Mr Beaver jumped up.

"You'd better be, cause Aslan's already fitted out your army!" he exclaimed.

"Our _army_?" Lucy exclaimed, too stunned to do anything else but repeat mr Beaver's words. Peter turned to Edmund.

"Give us a moment to consider this," he said. Mr Beaver nodded and Peter and Edmund went outside.

"Mum sent us away so we wouldn't get caught up in a war," Peter said, unsure what to do. Edmund sighed heavily.

"What is it, Ed?"

"I don't like that beaver,"

"He's nice!"

"No, he's arrogant."

"He is not! He actually told me he likes you,"

"He's a beaver,"

"So?"

"Beaver's aren't supposed to say anything!"

Peter catched his eye.

"What is your problem?"

"I don't know," Edmund said sincerely, "I'm just frustrated."

"About what?"

"Everything that's happening. However much I'd like to see this war if I can't see the one in London, it's enough Peter. I think we should go,"

"You're right," Peter said, and they went back in.

"Although it all sounds very exciting, I think you've made a mistake," Edmund said to mr Beaver, "We're not heroes!"

"We're from Finchley," Peter said, as if people from Finchley couldn't be heroes. He stood up again, "Thank you for your hospitality. But we _really_ have to go."

"No! You can't just leave!" there was unhidden panic in mr Beaver's voice.

"He's right!" Lucy said, "We have to help mr Tumnus!"

"It's out of our hands," Peter said, "I'm sorry. But it's time the four of us were getting home. Sue?"

He turned around. Susan was gone. Edmund raised an eyebrow.

"Sue?" Lucy jumped off her chair and walked a circle through the room.

"What, she wasn't with you?" mrs Beaver asked.

"No, she was here!" Edmund replied.

"No! She excused herself and followed you two!" mrs Beaver exclaimed panicing. Peter turned to Edmund.

"Oh, I'm going to kill that girl," he said aggressively.

"You may not have to," all eyes were on mr Beaver. His gaze pierced Peter's eyes, "Has Susan ever been to Narnia before?"

* * *

Susan was climbing up a hill.

"God, I wish I had brought my furcoat!" she said to herself, almost bursting out in tears. She tried to remember when she had decided to go to the Witch. It was so cold. _Mr Tumnus, mr Tumnus, mr Tumnus,_ her mind kept repeating. She tried to hold the picture of his house, turned completely upside down because she had said his name.

"I'm going to save him. And then Lucy will hug me, and Edmund will compliment me, and Peter... Peter will see he _can_ trust me," Susan promised herself outloud, "That I can still do some good in this world. I've made a mistake, and I'm going to make it alright. And he will love me for it."

She chuckled at that wonderful thought and looked behind her. She could hear voices coming her way.

"There's no turning back now," Susan said, "I must be strong. Peter will see I'm worth it."

The determination pumped adrenaline in her blood, and kept giving her the strength to climb further in the cold. Until she finally made it to a huge frozen lake, with in the middle of it unmistakable the Witch's castle. Susan cursed. Since she fell through it once as a little girl, Susan was terrified of ice.

"Where is she?" she heard behind her in the distance.

"Shit!" she muttered, and she cautiously stepped onto the ice. She shivered when she heard a soft crack. _I can't do this_, she thought, _I can't_. But she did. For Tumnus. For Lucy. For Peter... Susan sighed relieved when she had finally made it to the high doors.

"SUSAN!" she heard Lucy scream. She watched the silhouettes for a while, and then went in.

* * *

"SUSAN!" Lucy screamed at the little silhouette of her sister, in the far distance on the frozen lake, "COME BACK!"

"Shh, they'll hear you!" mr Beaver said.

"What is she doing?" Edmund exclaimed. Peter panted aggressively. Susan HAD to come back, now! He started running, but almost got slammed to the ground by mr Beaver, who held onto his coat.

"Get off me!" he exclaimed frustrated.

"You're playing into her hands!" mr Beaver said pent up.

"We can't just let her go!" Edmund said.

"She's our sister!" Lucy added.

"She's the bait!" mr Beaver said, getting more frustrated by the second, "The Witch wants all four of you!"

"Why?" Edmund asked.

"To stop the prophecy from coming true!" mr Beaver was really stressed right now, "To kill ya!"

The siblings looked up at the castle. The heavy doors slammed shut, meaning Susan had gotten in. _What have you done, Sue,_ Peter thought, _This is all your fault._

"This is all _your_ fault!" Lucy yelled at Peter, as if she had read his thoughts. Peter turned around to face his little sister.

"My fault?"

"None of this would have happened if you had listened to her in the first place!" Lucy yelled.

"Oh, so she knew this would happen," Peter said mocking.

"She didn't know _what_ would happen," Lucy said, "Which is why we should have listened to her while we still could!"

"Stop it!" Edmund exclaimed, "This isn't going to help Susan!"

"He's right," mr Beaver said, "Only Aslan can help your sister now."

"Then take us to him," Peter said, throwing a last look at the castle before leaving with the others.

* * *

The Witch's castle was terrifying. The icy courtyard Susan was now in, was full of what looked like huge statues. She looked behind her at the doors. Was there a turning back? No. No ofcourse there was no turning back. She had already come this far. She couldn't give up now. But was she doing the right thing? Susan felt like she had fallen into a foggy dream. One last time she threw a look at the high doors where she had just come from, and then walked up to the stairs at the other side of the courtyard. _Okay, now let's think. Mr Tumnus is probably in the dungeon. Where am I supposed to enter the dungeon?_ She thought, while she stepped over a large stone that layed widely across the path that led through the courtyard. Suddenly it came alive, and Susan screamed for King and Country.

"Be still stranger, or you'll never move again," Susan was on the cold floor now, with the living statue that now appeared a huge grey wolf on top of her, "Who are you?"

"I- I'm Susan," she wheezed with terror in her voice. She was so horrified that she couldn't even lie about her name.

The wolf's growled.

"What are you doing here?"

Susan's brains were frozen, yet running on full speed.

"I- I ..."

The wolf took a good look at her, and before she could even think of something, he got off her.

"My apologies, fortunate favourite of the queen!" he passed her while she got up, "Or else, not so fortunate. This way."

"No, no – I think I should go,"

"I think you shouldn't. This way,"

Susan saw no other choice, and followed him up a stair, into a large hall. At the other side, there was this huge throne, made of ice.

"Wait here," the wolf said, and he left. Susan didn't wait. As soon as he was out of sight, she turned around and started running as softly as she could.

"Where are you going?" the sudden presence of the queen's voice made Susan feel like someone splashed cold water in her face. She froze and turned around as slowly as she could.

"I must go, Your Majesty," was the only thing she managed to say. The queen smiled an icy smile, and alarmed a feeling in Susan's stomach. A horrible, yet unrecognizable feeling.

"I thought you were here to be a princess," the queen said. She sat down in her throne.

"N-no, Your Majesty, I just came to tell you that I don't have any interest in-"

"Tell me, Susan," the queen cut her off, "are your brothers deaf?"

There fell a short silence in which Susan wondered what she meant.

"No," she answered somewhat scared and a little curious. She felt four little words come up in the back of her mind.

"And your sister. Is she – unintelligent?"

"Just a little young, but-"

"Then how DARE you come alone?" the queen yelled, standing up with her wand in her hand. Susan took it back with horror in her face. Four little words, in the back of her mind.

I screwed up – _again_.

"I tried!" she lied.

"Susan, I ask so little of you," the queen said. It was terrifying.

"They just don't listen to me!" Susan said. _Well, at least I'm not lying with that one,_ Susan thought to herself.

"You couldn't even do that!"

"I did bring them halfway! They're at the little house at the dam, with the beavers!" It was out before she could help it. Susan mentally slapped herself. What was she doing? Trying to do something good, she only caused more problems. _Why can't I just die right now?_ Susan thought. The queen took a moment to consider her confession. She glanced at her dwarf.

"Well. I suppose you're not a total loss then, are you?" she concluded, sitting back down. She turned to the dwarf, "Bring our new Princess to her quarters, will you?"

"I told you just a second ago, I don't have any interest in the princess-thing," Susan said sincerely, suddenly aware of the stupidity of her thoughts, "Please, bring me to my family!"

The queen ignored her, but the dwarf took a knife and forced her to a door. Susan felt the sharp point through her thin blouse and sighed lost.

"Maugrim!" the queen yelled with a strong, icy voice. The wolf walked up to the queen, throwing Susan a terrifying smirk, "You know what to do."

Susan watched in terror how Maugrim called his wolfs and ran into the darkness of the night.

_Oh no_, Susan thought, _this is the end_.


	6. Chapter 6

_The Back of the Wardrobe_

Susan always felt in a different, indefinable way about Peter. When he tells her that he is adopted, that feelings clear up.

Disowner; Narnia and all her delightful creatures aren't mine. Exept for a few characters, later in the story.

**KibumiWong:** Not a bad idea! Punch him on the nose, and see if he's becoming realistic again :). And Susan... ah well, she'll be alright. But you know what they say; things always get worse before they clear up, muhahahaha!  
**HiddenOperaAngel:** here's more.

* * *

**VI. In which Susan wishes the ice would disappear, and Peter wishes the ice would come back**

"We're doing well! Err, oh! Ham!" They were still in the dam, and mrs Beaver had now spent an hour on packing all kinds of things, "Tea... Sugar... Matches!"

"Mrs Beaver, we're wasting so much time!" Lucy said.

"That's what I said!" mr Beaver said.

"We can't go with nothing to eat, now can we?" mrs Beaver said, and mr Beaver sighed annoyed.

"Come on, we _really_ have to go now! It's a long way, mrs Beaver!" Peter said. Now she was holding a sewingmachine.

"Oh please, stop hugging that thing! Do you really think you're gonna need it on the way?" mr Beaver said stressed. Mrs Beaver sighed.

"No, but I can't stand the thought of the Witch messing with it, or breaking it. Or even worse; steal it! That's just like her!" she said. Lucy sighed and looked up at Peter, who shrugged.

"We must go, come on!" mr Beaver said, now really really stressed out.

"Okay, okay," mrs Beaver replied, and the kids sighed relieved. They all stood up from their chairs, and walked to the door. Mrs Beaver went out last. She turned around and threw a last look through the livingroom.

"... Oh, let me check one last time, than we will go. I promise," she then said. The others could only sigh.

* * *

Susan sat against a cold ice wall of the dungeon. She crashed her head to the wall. How could she be so stupid to actually think she could save Tumnus on her own? It was only now that Susan realized this wasn't a dream. Narnia was real. This was a violent world, and this Witch really was life or death for these people. She looked at the plate next to her. It had a piece of bread and a cup of water on it. Susan wasn't hungry, but she did realize that not eating wouldn't exactly do her much good. So she grabbed the piece of bread and took a bite. It was disgusting, and Susan started couging. She quickly took the cup to her mouth, only to find more ice. She threw it down rather frustrated, and squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt not to cry. The only thing she had wanted to do, was save mr Tumnus and make everything better. Not getting herself locked up and betray her siblings! They would most definately hate her now. If at least they were still there to hate her...

"If – if you're not going to eat that," it was a weak whisper coming from beside her, and Susan's head turned startled.

"Oh, sure," she said, when she saw the owner of the voice. She took the piece of bread and gave it to him, "Mr Tumnus."

He looked up at her.

"You're Lucy Pevensie's sister," he said. Susan moved somewhat awkward.

"I'm Susan," she replied softly.

"You have the same nose,"

Susan couldn't help but quickly touching her nose. She wondered if she would ever see her sister again.

"Is your sister okay?"

Susan avoided eyecontact, but couldn't help noticing the fear in mr Tumnus' eyes.

"Is she safe?"

The cry of Maugrim upstairs made Susan cringe.

"I don't know," she whispered, trying to keep the tears in. It didn't took long before the Witch and Maugrim came marching down the stairs.

"My Police tore that dam apart!" she exclaimed, "Your little family is nowhere to be found. Where are they?"

"I don't know, Your Majesty," Susan felt so relieved that she couldn't stop it from creeping into her voice and eyes.

"Than you are no further use to me," she said, holding up her wand. Susan's relief twisted into complete panic, when she realized she was about to die. She closed her eyes and tried to calm down. _Well, at least I can't do any more harm when I'm dea-_

"WAIT!"

Susan's eyes flinched open, and she looked at the face of the Witch, who was just as surprised as she was. Susan looked beside her; it was Tumnus who had said it.

"Wait," he repeated, "What did she do to you? Why can't you just leave her be?"

The Witch smiled a cold smile.

"Guard!" she called, "Release the faun."

The guard, who was an ogre, dragged mr Tumnus in front of the Witch.

"Before I answer that, let me ask _you_ a question first. Do you know why you're here, faun?" she asked. Mr Tumnus looked up at her

"Because I believe in a free Narnia," those were strong words, but said with such insecurity, that it almost sounded like a question.

"No," the Witch smiled her icy smile again, "_You're_ here, because _she_," she pointed at Susan, "turned you in."

Mr Tumnus threw Susan a look of disbelief, that hurt her more than anything in all her life. The Witch gave a nod, and the guard dragged Tumnus upstairs. Susan watched the horrible scene with tears in her eyes. When they were out of sight, the Witch raised her wand again, and Susan saw her whole life passing by in front of her eyes.

"Your Majesty," the dwarf stepped into the dungeon.

"What is it?" the Witch exclaimed annoyed. She stamped on the floor, andif Susan wouldn't have been terrified todeath, she would'vefelt the urge to chuckle, becausethe Witchlooked like a five-year-old that doesn't get what she wants.

"We found a fox, creeping around the castle. We figured he might be a spy," the dwarf said.

The Witch glanced at Susan and then turned to the dwarf again.

"I'm coming. Take her upstairs," she said, and she pointed at Susan. Then she left, and the dwarf pulled Susan to her feet and roughly took her with him. When they came upstairs, the Witch sat in her throne, and the fox stood in front of her, surrounded by Maugrim's wolfs. The dwarf threw Susan down next to the throne. Susan gasped for breath when she saw the lifeless stone statue of mr Tumnus in the corner of the room.

"What were you doing that near my castle?" the Witch asked. The fox stayed silent, "Are you one of Aslan's spies?"

Despite everything, Susan couldn't help slipping a smile when she heard that name. The fox catched her eye, and she could see he indeed was one of Aslan's. It made her feel warm. This fox was an indirect link to her siblings.

"I'm sorry for my failure, Your Majesty," he said then, voice strong.

"Your failure? Don't waste my time," the Witch said.

"Excuse me, but I wasn't exactly talking to _you_," he said, with rudedisgust in his voice. He then looked at Susan, and everyone in the room followed his gaze. Then the Witch stood up, a look of dangerous fury on her face, and stabbed him. A loud 'NO' slipped from Susan's lips as she watched how the fox turned to stone. It was silent for a while. Maugrim was the first one to speak.

"What do we do now, Your Majesty," he growled, while stepping forward to his queen.

"I will send for general Otmin. You must take with you the swiftest of your wolves, and find the other three humans. I think they are heading for the Stone Table. Bring them here either dead or alive, I don't care,"

"That could take a while, Your Majesty. If Aslan is really back, there may be a war coming. We must be quicker than that!" Maugrim said.

"Yes, _yes_," the Witch replied annoyed, "But Aslan's return could also mean that a part of my dominion is melting. Then I must travel many miles to the West to find a place where we can safely cross the river. Go now, I will take care of the rest."

With that, Maugrim and his wolfs left. The Witch turned to her dwarf.

"How's my sleigh?"

"In perfect shape,"

The Witch stood up and turned to Susan.

"Whenever you're ready, Daughter of Eve," she said.

* * *

"All this snow!" Lucy whined.

"Oh, but we must be glad about it!" mr Beaver replied, "If anyone would be following us, they would find no tracks!"

"How much further do we have to walk?" Peter asked.

"Oh, we'll be walking for a while, trust me," mr Beaver said, "Aslan's camp is near the Stone Table. First we need to get out of this forest and then we must crossthe river. Than we're almost there."

"River?" Peter said a little startled.

"Oh, don't worry. The river's been frozen solid for a hundred years," mr Beaver said.

"It's so far!" Lucy said whiney.

"It's the world, dear," mrs Beaver said grinning, "Did you expect it to be small?"

Edmund growled. He had always hated snow. Suddenly he heard something, and he stopped walking to listen.

"Ed, what is it?" Peter asked somewhat irritated.

"Shh, wait a minute," Edmund whispered, "I hear something."

"What is it?" Lucy asked.

"Be quiet!"

They all stood as still as possible, and watched Edmund.

"Bells," Edmund whispered after a while.

"Yes!" Lucy heard it too. After another few seconds the others heard it too.

"RUN," mr Beaver yelled out of nothing, and he started running. So did mrs Beaver.

"What?" Lucy asked a bit disoriented.

"Oh my god, it's her!" Peter then yelled. He grabbed her hand and ran after the Beavers.

"Here, in here!" mr Beaver yelled at them, and he pointed at an almost invisible hole in the ground. One by one they jumped in, and tried to be as silent possible. The bells were dangerously close now, and Lucy was so pale, Peter was afraid she would faint. Then the bells stopped, and they heard someone walking around with firm steps.

"What the- is that the Witch?" Edmund whispered, surprised at the fact that she walked so masculine. Suddenly someone started laughing in a deep, cheerful voice. Lucy frowned. That voice sounded exactly like-

"Santa!" she whispered happily. She immediatly wanted to leave the hole, but mr Beaver stopped her.

"We can't besure, Daughter of Eve. Stay here," he whispered.

"I suppose I'll go look," Peter said. He didn'tknow who it was, but hedidn't believe that itcould possibly the Witch. And if it wasn't the Witch, it probably wouldn't be that dangerous.

"No! You're worth nothing to Narnia dead," mr Beaver whispered, and he cautiously started climbing out himself.

"Neither are you, Beaver!" mrs Beaver whispered.

"Thanks, sweetheart," mr Beaver replied, and Lucy had to repress a loud 'awww!'. Mr Beaver went out. It was silent for a long while. And then suddenly...

"AAAH!" Edmund yelled. Mr Beaver had suddenly appeared, and scared the others to death. He didn't seem to notice though.

"I hope you've all been good this year, cause there's someone here to see ya!"he exclaimed happy. Lucy and mrs Beaver immediatly got out.

"Come on!"mr Beaverexclaimed excited at them. Peter and Edmund glanced at eachother and then climbed out too. Peter's jaw dropped when he saw who was standing there.Father Christmas, in front of his sleigh. Lucy walked up to him and smiled widely.

"Merry Christmas, sir!" she said.

"It certainly is, Lucy. Since you have arrived," Father Christmas said smiling. Edmund turned to Peter.

"Look, I've put up with a lot since I got here, but this..."

"We thought you were the Witch," Peter interrupted Edmund, realizing he was being rude. Father Christmas grinned.

"Yes, yes. Sorry about that. But in my defence; I have been driving one of these longer than the Witch," he said, and he tapped his sleigh.

"I thought there was no christmas in Narnia," Peter said suspiciously, standing next to his little sister.

"No. Not for a long time. But the hope that you have brough, Your Majesties, is finally starting to weaken the Witch's power," Father Christmas replied, "But still, I dare say you could do with these."

He turned around and put the huge sack from the back of his sleigh in front of them.

"Presents!" Lucy exclaimed happily, and she ran forward. Father Christmas laughed at the little girl's enthusiasm. Lucy looked into the sack and saw a lot of toys, but Father Christmas took something out of a little pocket and held it in front of her. It was a small bottle in a leather holder.

"The juice of the Fire Flower," he explained, "One drop will cure any injury."

Lucy took the bottle and stared fascinated at the golden liquid.

"And though I hope you never have to use it..." Lucy looked at the beautiful dagger Father Christmas reached her, and slipped a smile.

"Thank you, sir," she said sincere, "But I think I could be brave enough."

Father Christmas smiled at the little girl.

"I'm sure you could," he said, "But battles are ugly affairs."

And although Lucy liked to be a heroe, she couldn't do anything but agree; war was a bad thing. She smiled one last time and stepped back. Father Christmas took from his sack a beautiful white quiver with a bow, and straightened his back.

"Edmund," he said. Edmund stepped forwards to where his little sister had just stood, and took the quiver with a look of awe on his face.

"Trust in this bow, and it will not easily miss," Father Christmas said. Edmund smiled and threw him a look of gratitude.

"Thanks," he said. Father Christmas gave him a wink.

"Peter!" he then said, and Peter stepped forward. Father Christmas gave him a sword and a shield with a red lion on it.

"The time to use these may be near at hand," he said seriously. Peter gripped the hilt firmly and pulled the sword out of it's sheath.

"Thank you, sir," he said with a moved tone in his voice, while he watched the shining blade.

"These are tools, not toys," Father Christmas said, noticing that Peter was a little bit too happy with them, "Bear them well and wisely."

Peter nodded, and sheathed the sword again.

"Now, I must be off," Father Christmas said, "Winter is almost over, and things do pile up when you've been gone a hundred years!"

He laughed, and put his sack back in his sleigh. Than he turned around again.

"Oh, Lucy! Can I speak to you for one minute?"

"Sure," Lucy said, and she and Father Christmas walked out of hearingrange of the others. Father Christmas took an in brown paper wrapped package out of his pocket.

"Give this to your sister when she's back, will you?" he said. Lucy took package and looked at it with an obvious dilemma in her eyes. Father Christmas understood, andmade her look at him.

"I am not unaware of Susan's absence, Lucy. Neither am I blind for Peter's anger. He has too little faith in Susan. You must be wiser than that," he said seriously.

"I have faith in her, sir," Lucy said, "And I do trust her. But she left us, andI justdon't understand."

"Nobody is perfect, Lucy," said Father Christmas, and with those words he walked back to his sleigh. Lucy hid the package in the deepest pocket of her dress, and followed. Father Christmas sat down in his sleigh.

"Long live Aslan," he said, "And Merry Christmas!"

With those words he gassed his reindeer, and left.

"Merry Christmas!" the three Pevensies yelled, and they waved until he was out of sight. Lucy turned to Edmund.

"Told you he was real," she said with a proud smile on her face.

"Oh, very funny," he replied.

"He said winter was almost over," Peter said, and the other two turned to him, "And you know what _that_ means. _No -more -ice_."

And it wasn't a happy understatement for the end of the White Witch's reign.

* * *

"Oh, great," Edmund said. They were standing on top of the high riverbank next to the frozen waterfall. The ice on the river down there was melting quicker every second.

"This isn't good, is it?" Lucy looked up at Peter.

"We need to cross. Now!" Peter said, and he dragged Lucy along, "Come on!"

"Shouldn't we think of this for a minute?" Edmund said hesitating.

"We don't _have_ a minute!" It came out ruder than Peter had meant it, but he was too stressed to feel bad about it. Edmund threw him an angry look.

"I'm just trying to take some responsibility," he muttered, somewhat hurt because he had really tried to help Peter.

"No, you're just trying to annoy me, as usual!" Peter exclaimed, not knowing why he had to react on Edmund. He started climbing down, and helping Lucy do the same. Edmund heard the cry of a wolf in the distance and followed. When they reached the low riverbank there was not much ice left that wasn't broken, but it was enough. Peter cautiously stepped on it, but whenalso that partstarted breaking, he reflexively took it back.

"Maybe I should go first," mr Beaver offered.

"Maybe you should," Peter replied. Lucy threw him a startled look.

"Relax Lucy,"he said, "Beavers swim better than we do."

The others followed mr Beaver once he had stepped onto the ice. Lucy wished she could close her eyes until it was over, but she knew perfectly well that she couldn't do that, because the ice was breaking under their feet.

"Look!" Edmund exclaimed, and the others looked up. Wolfs were crossing the still frozen waterfall, and came running down the bank in front of them. Peter looked behind them. The river had melted behind them and the only way they could go was forward.

"Run!" he yelled, hoping they would reach the bank sooner than the wolfs, so they at least they wouldn't get surrounded.

"Hurry!" mr Beaver exclaimed, but it was no use. The wolfs came down on the ice and there was no escape anymore. Mr Beaver growled at one of the wolfs, but to Lucy's horror (although she wasn't at all surprised about it), mr Beaver was no match for him. Peter pulled his sword out of the sheath, and raised it to the biggest wolf, who was coming closer and closer.

"Maugrim," mrs Beaver whispered with disgust in her voice.

"Put that down, boy," Maugrim said, "Someone could get hurt."

He nodded at mr Beaver who could get killed any second, but Peter didn't obey, though he wasn't sure what to do next. They couldn't get back, they couldn't get forward; in fact they couldn't go anywhere.

"Don't worry about me," mr Beaver exclaimed, "Run him through!"

"Leave now while you can, and yoursister leaves with you," Maugrim said. Peter still didn't lower his sword.

"Stop, Peter! Maybe we should listen to him!" Lucy exclaimed. Maugrim grinned.

"Smart girl," he said.

"Don't listen to him!" mr Beaver yelled, still held by one of the other wolfs, "Kill him!"

"Kill him now!" Edmund exclaimed, leaving it to Peter because he wassure he would be dead before he could reach his bow.

"Oh, come on. This isn't your war," Maugrim said, more convincing than Peter would've liked him to be, "All my Queen wants is for you to take your family and go."

"Just because Father Christmas hands you a sword, it doesn't make you a hero!" Lucy yelled, "Just drop it!"

Peter threw her a look that told her to shut up.

"No, Peter! Narnia needs you! Gut him while you still have a chance!" mr Beaver exclaimed. Maugrim came another few steps closer.

"What's it gonna be, Son of Adam? I won't wait forever," he said, and he looked up to the waterfall. It was making terrifying sounds of cracking ice and streaming water, and Maugrimgrinned,"And neither will the river."

Lucy followed his gaze.

"Peter!" she screamed, and Peter looked up just in time to see the last second of the frozen waterfall before the water broke through.

"Hold on to me!" he yelled, and Edmund and Lucy grabbed his coat firmly while he stabbed his sword into the ice. The next thing they knew, they were lying in the cold water. He still felt Edmund and Lucy against his side and tried to hold Lucy a little closer. A cold wave smashed against their faces, and they went under water another few seconds. When they came up, they were drifting closely by the bank, and Edmund managed to grab a rock, and pulled them closer. They stood up, gasping for breath, and relieved they had made it. Edmund smiled widely and turned around to face Peter, but his smile faded when he saw him. His face was pale, and his with terror widened eyes were staring at his hand. The hand with only Lucy's furcoat in it.

"What have you done?" Edmund exclaimed scared. Peter looked at him. He couldn't say anything. Had he just seriously lost Lucy? And did Edmund blame him for it?

"Lucy!" Edmund yelled, "LUCY!"

There was no answer. The only sound came from the water.

"We'll go look for her," mr Beaver said, and he and mrs Beaver jumped in. Fifteen terrifying minutes got by, and still no Lucy. Edmund had given up on screaming, and now sat down in the snow. Peter was still staring at the little furcoat in his hands. It was thirty minutes later, that mr and mrs Beaver finally returned.

Without Lucy.


	7. Chapter 7

**The Back of the Wardrobe**

Susan always felt in a different, indefinable way about Peter. When he tells her that he is adopted, that feelings clear up.

Disowner; Narnia and all her delightful creatures aren't mine. Exept for a few characters, later in the story.

**CiceroGuided & HanyAny:** Aah! Here's more! And it wasn't too soon, sorry for that.  
**KibumiWong:** Noo! Don't die! Then I'll have to miss your wonderful reviews! And sorry for keeping you waiting, but I've had some trouble here.  
**Aminuleen:** Okay, okay. A little bit making-up for you. Mark my words, a little bit:P

* * *

**VII. In which Susan has the most intense experience in her life and the Pevensies get back together and still break further apart**

The beavers, followed by Edmund and Peter, walked into the camp. Edmund had not said a word to Peter, and Peter wasn't quite sure what to do. He knew he needed to keep his family together, but he had already lost them. Susan had betrayed them, he had lost Lucy and Edmund ... well, it had never been quite good between the two of them. Peter looked around. The camp existed from large red and golden tents. Everywhere stood baskets with fruit and nuts and tables with food, and the camp was swarmed with centaurs, fauns and Talking Animals. As they walked, everybody looked at them and started following them.

"Why are they all staring at us?" Peter asked, feeling rather sexy.

"Maybe they think you look weird," Edmund replied softly, but Peter heard it and made a face. Peter noticed mrs Beaver got anxious with every step. He supposed they had to be close.

"Please, stop your fussing. You look lovely," mr Beaver said to mrs Beaver, and he offered her an arm. Now they came to the other end of the camp. On a low grey rock stood a large tent. Peter and Edmund walked further, but the people following them, had stopped and now made a half circle around them. A centaur stepped onto the grey rock. Peter looked at Edmund, who shrugged and obviously didn't knew what to do either. So he just pulled his sword out of the sheath, and raised it to the centaur.

"We have come to see Aslan," he said highly uncomfortable, his voice trembling with fear and a certain excitement. Edmund squeezed his eyes shut and prayed this would be over soon. The centaur smiled at Peter, and nodded at the entrance of the tent. Peter and Edmund followed their gaze, just as all the others. The curtain waved, and suddenly the whole camp, except for Peter and Edmund, bowed deeply. Then Aslan came out. A huge lion, so powerful and terrifying and yet so kind. When Peter and Edmund saw him, they couldn't do anything but bow too, as deeply as they could.

"Welcome, Peter and Edmund, Sons of Adam," he said, and Peter smiled at the warm voice, "And welcome to you, Beavers. You have my thanks," mrs Beaver shivered happily and mr Beaver chuckled, "But where are the Daughters of Eve!"

Peter and Edmund stood up.

"That's why we're here, sir," Edmund said, "We need your help."

"We had a little trouble along the way," Peter added.

"Our youngest sister is," Edmund swallowed, "no longer with us. She is taken by the river."

Aslan was obviously shocked with this news.

"And the other?"

"Our oldest sister's been captured by the White Witch," Peter said, thinking of Susan. He wondered what she was doing right now.

"Captured? How could this happen?" Aslan asked. Mr Beaver stepped forward.

"She – she betrayed them, Your Majesty," he said, sadness in his voice. Peter could just in time stop himself from throwing him a pissed-off look. It was true what he said, it just hurt so much.

"Then she has betrayed us all!" the centaur exclaimed, but Aslan shut him up.

"Peace, Oreius. I'm sure there's an explanation,"

"It's my fault, really," Peter said, and the people surrounding them made shocked noises, "I was too hard on her."

Edmund gave him a supporting tap on his back, and then looked at Aslan again.

"We all were," he said, "Sir, she's our sister."

Peter looked at the ground. _Not mine_, he thought sadly.

"I know, Son of Adam," Aslan said, "But that only makes the betrayal all the worse. This may be harder than you think."

* * *

Susan sat next to the Witch in the white sleigh, watching the trees go by. _What have I done?_ She thought, drowning in her own misery now she had finally allowed herself to be pessimistic, _What in God's name have I done? I am so stupid, and dumb! I'm such a goddamn-_

Her thoughts were interrupted by a drop of water, right on her nose. She looked up and again there was a drop of water right in her face. The Witch noticed it too. She tried to ignore it stubbornly. Suddenly the horses in front of the sleigh stopped walking. The dwarf tried to gass them, but they just wouldn't move in any direction but backwards. Susan threw the Witch a cautious look, waiting for her next action.

"Don't sit there staring, you dumb child! Get out and help!" the Witch yelled at her. Susan got out as quickly possible, and started pushing the sleigh. Suddenly they heard the sound of streaming water.

"What is that _noise_!" the Witch yelled, as if she didn't know. Susan stopped pushing the sleigh (it was no use anyway), and took a step forward, looking around and smiling widely.

"The frost is over," she whispered, and her eyes lit up. Peter had not yet given up on her. The dwarf turned around in his seat.

"It's no use, Your Majesty. We'll never sled in this thaw,"

The Witch copied Susan's action, only then with a frown on her face.

"This is no ordinary thaw," she said softly, "This is spring."

"I think it's Aslan's work," the dwarf said.

"I know," the Witch replied. It was silent for a minute, and Susan watched the glistening of the river she could see through the trees. Suddenly she saw something in the water. A barrel? No. Susan shook her head lightly and blinked. It had bumped onto the bank and now – _tried to climb out_? Susan's jaw dropped. Then the barrel stood up on two little legs, brushed it's skirt smooth, and looked around. Wait..

"_Lucy_?" Susan whispered. She looked up at the Witch, who was very busy talking to her dwarf and then tried to catch Lucy's attention. It worked. Lucy started running towards her, but Susan made a gesture that told her to stay still. Then there suddenly was a young female behind Lucy, Susan had no idea when exactly she had appeared. Like she wasn't there at all, and at the same time had always been there. She wore darkgreen clothes from some light fabric, and was armed with a bow and a quiver. Susan watched how she crept up to Lucy, and to Susan's horror slapped a hand to Lucy's mouth. Susan gasped for breath, and quickly looked at the Witch. She was still in a fiery conversation with her dwarf. When Susan looked back she saw how a male, wrapped in the same colors as the female, hang out of the tree, pulling Lucy up. Then, when Susan blinked, the female was gone. Susan was horrified. What had just happened? She searched for Lucy in the trees, but all she could see were leafs and branches and leafs and branches and – faces? Susan blinked again. Yes, faces. Twenty pair of barely visible eyes were watching her closely. Susan looked from the eyes to the Witch, and wondered what she was most afraid of. Suddenly, an arrow was released from the tree. It almost hit the Witch and Susan screamed. The Witch looked up to the trees.

"Dryades," she whispered furiously.

"What?" Susan asked, but there was no time before a rain of arrows came down on the sleigh.

"Susan!" It was Lucy, standing on the ground and holding the hand of the male that had just pulled her into the tree, "Come! Run!"

Susan didn't hesitate for one moment and took a spurt.

"No!" the Witch shouted, "Stop her!"

Susan looked behind her, only to see how the dwarf pulled his dagger and threw it. Then there was a hard jerk to her arm and then it went black. Susan felt a small but strong hand across her face.

"Shh," she heard someone whisper in her ear, "You're safe, as long as you're _quiet_."

Susan nodded, and the person let go of her. Susan let her eyes get used to the darkness and tried to see where she was. She was standing, no – _floating­_ it seemed, in green light. It was almost like water, or jelly, and although she stood steady on her feet, she felt nothing under her. But it wasn't frightening at all. It was peaceful and Susan was delighted as she felt some kind of energy flowing through her. It was just like this place was fulfilling all of her needs. She looked up, and lightgreen ray lighted up her face and almost instinctively she knew that it was the sun. She looked at the wall of the place and noticed she could look through it. Susan saw the bushes outside and the river and then tried to touch the wall, but the other person stopped her.

"What are you doing?" he or she whispered, "Are you crazy? You'll fall out!"

"Sorry," Susan whispered. She felt warm and happy and almost numbed. She looked at the silhouette outside. It was small and rather fat and bearded and it had a dagger in it's hand. Susan knew it was the queen's dwarf, but she didn't care cause she was safe. The dwarf raised his hand with the dagger.

"Shit," Susan heard the other person whisper, and then the dwarf stabbed his dagger into the wall of their peaceful residence. The moment it came down, Susan was filled with an intense pain. A pain that made her wanna scream and made her wanna die.

"We have to go," she whispered, eyes closed, "We must leave."

"Shh," the person whispered soothing, "Come on, we must go through this."

"We will die!" Susan whispered.

"No, we will die if we leave,"

"Where is Lucy?" Susan wanted to sit down but forced herself to stay up.

"Lucy is safe,"

"As safe as we are now?" Susan had a hard time not to start screaming.

"Daughter of Eve, you really must _shut up_ now," the person whispered annoyed. Finally the dwarf pulled his dagger out. The pain was gone and Susan felt like she could breath again. It was silent for a moment. Then they heard the dwarf talking to the Witch.

"I have no idea where they are, Your Majesty," he said.

"She's a Nion, right? Have you stabbed the ash tree over there?" the Witch asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty, they're not there,"

"Nion?" Susan asked.

"Celtic calendar," the person whispered, "Shh."

"Celtic calendar," Susan whispered thinking, "Isn't that with trees?"

"Yes, it is," was the annoyed answer.

"You mean to say..." Susan's jaw dropped and she looked around her, "We're in a _tree_?"

"Ofcourse we are! Now _shut up_,"

Susan obeyed, and listened to the conversation outside.

"She has taken the Daughter of Eve, Your Majesty," the dwarf said, "I am sorry."

The Witch was silent for a moment before she spoke with fury in her voice.

"Then send for Maugrim and gather the faithful. If it's a war Aslan wants, it's a war he shall get."

With those words they left. It stayed silent for a minute.

"Come," the person then said, "It is safe."

Susan took the hand that was offered, and stepped through the wall. Then she looked behind her. A tree. Big, solid and green, with a deep cut in the trunk.

"Was that -" Susan began, and she swallowed.

"Yes," the person, who turned out to be the female that she had seen earlier when she 'kidnapped' Lucy, "That is what you felt."

"How did I .. ? Did you -" Susan was so shocked she couldn't manage to finish her sentences.

"I'm a dryade, Daughter of Eve," the female said smiling, "The trees are my home. A dryade can get into a tree, and also take others with them, whether they're dryades or not. But when you get into a tree, you become a part of it. The tree shares everything with you, which also means it's pain."

"I could feel it's energy," Susan said, "And when that dagger sunk in... I thought I would die."

"That's right. And maybe you can understand that I felt that a little more intense, because I am born as a part of the trees," the female said and she smiled.

"SUSAN!"

Susan looked disoriented to where the voice had come from. It was Lucy. She ran up to her older sister and Susan took her into a warm hug.

"I missed you, Susan," Lucy said, and she started crying.

"I missed you too," Susan whispered and she kissed her younger sister's head.

"You must go now," the female said, "Aslan's waiting for you. Walk all the way down the river until you're at the Fords of Beruma. Then walk East and a few of Aslan's people will be waiting for you there. They will accompany you to the camp."

Susan and Lucy nodded, and started their walk.

"Oh, I almost forgot! I got something for you!" Lucy said, after they had walked for two hours.

"Really?" Susan asked. Lucy nodded and she took a little brown package from a pocket of her dress. Susan took it. There was a little note on it. The ink was a bit smeared out and it was wet from Lucy's river-adventure, but it was still legible. _Although I know it doesn't feel that way right now; if you're in trouble, you must blow on this. Then help will come to you._ it said.

"Who's it from?" Susan asked, reading the note over again.

"Father Christmas," Lucy said.

"Father – Santa you mean?" Susan asked frowning. Lucy nodded with a broad smile, and Susan decided not to mention that that man didn't exist. She opened the package and saw a small white horn, in shape of a lion.

"Oh my god, it's so beautiful!" Susan said, and she took a good look on it. Lucy nodded in awe.

"It is!" she said.

"Let's go on quickly. I really want to meet that Aslan now!" Susan said and they started walking again.

"Susan, can I ask you something?" Lucy asked then, after a short silence. _Oh god, here it goes_, Susan thought.

"Sure," she said, and she tried to prepare herself for the worst questions ever. But what Lucy said, was something nobody could ever prepare for.

"Why don't you love us anymore?" the little girl asked. Susan didn't know what to say. How could she ever explain why she had done what she had done?

"I do love you, Lucy, I just tried to –" she was interrupted by a growl and with a high scream, Lucy and Susan turned around. Maugrim and one of his other wolfs stood there.

"Please don't try to run," Maugrim said, "We're tired, and we prefer to kill you quickly."

Lucy and Susan looked at each other, and then both at the horn.

"Well, I can give it a try," Susan said softly.

* * *

Peter stood on the top of a hill, looking out over the camp. He missed Susan. He looked at the sea, and the castle that stood there on the rocks. He wondered what is was.

"That is Cair Paravel, the castle of the four thrones," Aslan had appeared beside him, "In one of which you will sit, Peter, as High King."

Peter looked at the ground and swallowed to keep the tears in. Aslan noticed it.

"You doubt the prophecy?" he asked. Peter shook his head.

"No, that's just it," he said, and he turned to face the lion, "Aslan, I'm not who you all think I am!"

"Peter Pevensie, formerly of Finchley," he said, "Firstborn of the four Pevensies."

"No Aslan," Peter said, closing his eyes and preparing himself on the truth, "I am not a Pevensie."

Aslan sighed and grinned.

"I know, Peter," he said. Peter was surprised.

"You – _what_?"

"I said, I know," Aslan said, "I know you are adopted."

"Oh, yes. Well. That's exactly the reason why I think the prophecy can't be true," Peter said a bit disoriented.

"Peter, Peter. You're not getting the point, are you?" Aslan grinned.

"I'm not?" Peter asked.

"No. Tell me Peter, are you human?" Aslan asked.

"Yes, ofcourse," Peter said, not sure where Aslan was heading.

"And are Edmund, Lucy and Susan human?"

"Yes,"

"How many humans are needed to fulfill the prophecy?" Aslan asked.

"Four," Peter said, "Two boys and two girls."

"How many girls are here?"

"Two, Susan and Lucy,"

"And how many boys?"

"Also two, Edmund and me,"

"That's enough to fulfill the prophecy, Peter!" Aslan said, but Peter still didn't understand.

"It's _not_ enough, Aslan! I'm not a part of the family!" he exclaimed.

"You're not?" Aslan looked at Peter, "I think you are. Do you really think Lucy and Edmund and Susan love you less? You have been a part of their lives as long as they can remember, Peter. You're a brother to them. And besides that," Aslan said, smiling, "Does the prophecy say the humans need to be related?"

Peter was silent for a moment.

"No, it does not," he then said.

"Peter, there is a Deep Magic, more powerful than any of us, that rules over all of Narnia. It defines right from wrong, and governs all our destinies. Yours, and mine," Aslan said, and he looked down upon the camp.

"But I couldn't even protect my own family!" Peter exclaimed frustrated.

"You've brought them safely so far," Aslan said. Peter looked at the ground.

"Only one," he said, "And he could've found his own way if he had to."

"Peter, I will do what I can to help your sisters," Aslan said, "But I need you to consider what I ask of you. I, too, want my family safe."

At that point, the sky was filled with the sound of a horn.

"What's that?" Peter asked alarmed.

"I don't know," Aslan turned to the camp and gave a loud roar. Immediatly Oreius and a couple of fauns came running up the hill.

"Come on, we must see if we can help!" Aslan said, and they ran towards the sound of the horn. As they came to the point, Peter immediatly saw two wolfs, jumping up and down under a tree. He raised a surprised eyebrow, until he heard a relieved yell.

"Peter!"

Peter looked up the tree.

"_Susan_?" he said stunned, "Susan! Lucy!"

He ran up to the wolfs and pulled his sword out of it's sheath.

"Get back!" he said to them. Maugrim growled irritated.

"Come on!" he said, "We've already been through this before. We both know you haven't got it in you."

The wolfs surrounded him.

"Peter, watch out!" Susan was so scared. But then Aslan jumped upon the other wolf, and Oreius killed it. Then he stepped forward to Maugrim.

"No, Oreius. Stay your weapons. This is Peter's battle," Aslan said, and everybody took a step back. Peter felt stronger, now he knew Aslan was here.

"I _have_ got it in me," Peter said softly. Maugrim laughed at him in his face.

"You may think you're a king," he said, "But you're going to die like a dog!"

Maugrim leaped, Peter raised his sword and next they both smashed to the ground.

Maugrim didn't move, but neither did Peter. There was a silence in which everybody stared at the two dead bodies in disbelief.

"P - peter?" Lucy wheezed. It stayed silent. But then...

"Can someone please get this thing off me?" Peter said softly, "I can't breathe!"

"Oh! Oh, sure!" Susan said, and she and Lucy got out of the tree. They pushed Maugrim off. Peter sat up and Susan shot into his warm arms. And then, in front of everybody, Peter kissed her for the first time passionately on her mouth. Lucy didn't fully realize what was happening. She knew somewhere in the back of her mind that brothers and sisters weren't supposed to be that close, but the strong feeling that they belonged together overruled that. Peter pulled back. He rested his forhead against Susan's and smiled.

"I was so scared, Sue," he whispered, "I couldn't bear to lose you."

"You haven't lost me," Susan answered with tears in her eyes. Lucy sighed and Peter and Susan looked up at her with startled looks in their eyes. But Lucy was only smiling.

"Can I join?" she then asked, and she hugged Peter tightly.

"Peter," Peter looked up at Aslan, "Clean your sword."

Peter smiled and obeyed. He was scared of the reaction Aslan would give on his obvious love for Susan, but this was not the time to think about that.

"Kneel for me," Aslan said when Peter's sword was clean. Peter kneeled. Aslan sat down and put a paw on his shoulder. Peter didn't know what was happening, but he sure did like it.

"Rise, Sir Peter Wolf's-bane," Aslan said, "Knight of Narnia!"

Peter stood up and smiled widely at Susan and Lucy. What a boysdream! A Knight...

* * *

"Lucy!" Edmund walked up to his siblings, as they came into the camp, "We've been worried sick! Peter, where did you –" he stopped talking as he saw his older sister. Susan tried to hug him, but he pulled away. He looked at Peter. The look in his eyes reminded Peter of how serious it was what Susan had done. Aslan also noticed Edmund's look.

"What's done, is done," he said, "There is no need to speak to Susan about what is past."

Then he walked away. It was obvious Edmund wasn't going to let it go that easily, and Susan wondered how she was ever going to make it up.

"Please Edmund," Susan said, but Edmund shook his head. Then he left to his tent. Susan looked at Peter. His face had twisted, and she felt so unwelcome.

"I – I did it because – because," she stuttered, "I thought –"

"You didn't think at all," Peter said, voice hard, "Now go get some sleep, you look tired."

"I'll try not to wander off," Susan said with an insecure chuckle, trying to give the moment some humour.

"You better stay," Peter answered, rather pissed, "I'll kill you."

Susan wondered if he meant that. She certainly hoped not. Normally she would've been sure he wouldn't, but Peter had changed so intensively, that she wasn't sure about anything at all with Peter.

"Let's go ask if Aslan has a place to sleep for you," Peter said. Lucy took Susan's hand and they followed Peter. They got a tent in the middle of the camp, and although it must have been around 1 'o clock, Susan immediatly got to bed. She layed herself down between the soft pillows, and closed her tired eyes, only to discover she couldn't sleep. She couldn't do anything but think of Peter. Susan wondered how she was supposed to put up with him when his moods changed so quickly everytime. How was she supposed to live with a guy that would forgive her for her actions one second and hate her for them the next? Peter nor herself could possibly expect from her to let him love her when he wanted to, and let him hate her just as easily.


	8. Chapter 8

_The Back of the Wardrobe_

Susan always felt in a different, indefinable way about Peter. When he tells her that he is adopted, that feelings clear up.

Disclaimer; Narnia and all her delightful creatures aren't mine. Exept for a few own characters.

**Silent Cobra:** thank you :)  
**Cicero Guided:** I'm doing my very best for you  
**KibumiWong:** Oh, just wait, he'll understand alright:D

This one is kinda long :).

* * *

**VIII. In which a charming Narnian female enters Peters life, and automatically also Susan's.**

Susan had thought for quite a while about Peter now. Quite a long while indeed. And now she had finally decided that something had to be done. They needed a talk, all four of them. A nice long talk in which no irritations and secrets would stay unspoken. Even Peter's adoption. She walked into Peter and Edmund their tent, where she found only Edmund and Lucy. They were playing chess. Susan looked at them with a smile on her face. It was a long time ago since she had last seen Edmund and Lucy like this. Just playing games, being nice to each other. She chuckled, and Edmund looked up at her. Immediatly his face darkened and he stood up to leave.

"Ooh come on, Edmund," Susan said when he had passed her, "Don't be such a child. If I hurt you, then talk to me. Give me a chance to earn your forgiveness."

He stood there, with his back towards her, trembling hands clenched to fists. Susan felt the tense rising, as if the sky was filled with thousands of millions little pieces of gunpowder, and Edmund was the one with the lighter. One spark, only one little spark, and the whole sky would ignite. Susan was already backing away from him and Lucy was trying to resist the urge to hide under the table. Finally Edmund's shoulders relaxed and with a heavy sigh he turned around. He looked Susan in her eyes with a look so honest and so clear that it was to Susan relieving as well as terrifying.

"I don't know if I'm able to forget," Edmund said, "But you are my sister, and I love you. Consider yourself forgiven. Just give me some time, I do not yet want to talk about what made you do it."

Susan's face brightened and she rushed forward to give Edmund a hug, but he stopped her before she could touch him.

"Give me some time, Susan," he repeated, and after a moment of silence, Susan nodded. It made her sad that she couldn't even touch her younger brother, but she also knew that it was Edmund's way of forgiving, and that if she wouldn't let him forgive her his own way, she would most likely not be forgiven at all. Edmund sat back down at the table, and Susan sat down next to Lucy. She watched for a moment how Edmund beated Lucy. Although he had one way or another always been the black sheep, he was obviously the most intelligent.

"Actually, I came here to talk," she said after a while. Edmund sighed and was about to protest, but Susan interrupted him hastily, "No, no, not about me, Ed, about Peter."

"Well, yes, I also think we should talk about him," Lucy said immediatly, "He's acting very strange lately and it's upsetting me."

"He _is_ acting a little weird, isn't he?" said Edmund thinking, "What do you suppose is the cause?"

He looked at Susan.

"I don't know, but I want the other Peter back!" Lucy said with a trembling voice. Susan put an arm around her.

"Relax Lucy," said Edmund, his piercing look never leaving Susan's face. Susan felt uncomfortable under his gaze. She knew it was obvious to Edmund that she knew all about it, but she couldn't possibly tell them Peter was adopted. That was his own task.

"I have this horrible feeling, Susan," Lucy said, "Peter isn't going to leave us in some way, is he? He won't! He wouldn't, would he?"

"No, ofcourse he wouldn't," Susan said, trying to convince with Lucy also herself. At that moment Peter stepped into the tent. The other three looked at him. Lucy looked as if she was about to start crying, Susan's look was rather uncomfortable and Edmund's face was solemn. Peter felt all eyes on him. When Lucy started crying, he turned around.

"Oh! Lucy, what's the matter?" he asked sweetly.

"Peter, will you please come and sit with us?" said Susan. It kind of scared Peter, and he tried to laugh it away. But when it stayed silent, and he could read from their faces that they were serious, he started backing away from them.

"Why? There isn't anything wrong, is there?" he asked, grinning out of pure panic. He knew this was the moment he had to tell them about the adoption. He knew he could no longer keep it a secret. But he wasn't ready. He wasn't ready! Panic filled his head, and suddenly he turned around and started walking away.

"Why are you turning away from us?" Peter froze at the sound of Lucy's fragile voice. Peter turned back and looked at Susan. She was watching him with a said and solemn look on her face. She looked so strong and yet so vulnerable and all Peter wanted to do was kiss her. Taste the salt flavour of tears without being sure wether it were his or hers, until there was no breath left to catch. But one way or another he couldn't help feeling as if she had betrayed him again. He felt so trapped that tears started gathering in his eyes. The sight of those three was just heartbreaking, especially with the thought that he could do something about it, and all Peter could do was turning around again.

"Now you're doing it again," said Lucy, and her voice was soft and sad and heartrending, "You're turning your back on us."

Peter did not say anything. He could almost _hear_ Lucy's tears, and he really wanted to sit beside her and sooth her and wipe her tears away. Whisper it was all okay, and that he was sorry for everything he could possibly be sorry for. Why he didn't, he did not know. Or maybe he did. He was adopted.

"Talk to us, Peter," was the plea coming from the little girl. She was crying out loud now and Peter couldn't bear looking at her. So he didn't. Neither did he answer. He stayed silent, and heard how Lucy ran out of the tent, Susan rushing after her. It was silent for a while before Edmund began.

"Why are you doing this to us?" Edmund asked, "Making Lucy cry is not bad, for she cries way too quickly, but you're going _too far_, Peter."

Peter didn't say a thing. He couldn't bring himself to it. He leaned on the wooden table, with his back at Edmund and just hoped he would walk away and everything would be forgotten by dinnertime. Edmund took a step forward to him.

"Why won't you talk to me? Are you really that stuck up or is there something I don't know?"

Peter squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head, trying to wake up from something that wasn't even a dream.

"Susan knows," Edmund said, and Peter's eyes flung open.

"What do you mean?"

"Precisely what I tell you. Susan knows all about that thing that makes you so incredibly _not_ Peter. She knows. Why does _she_ know, Peter?"

"How do you know Susan knows?" Peter asked, afraid that Susan might have said something.

"So there really is something," Edmund concluded with a sigh, "I already started thinking I was imagening things."

"_How_ – _do – you – know_?"

"I can see it," Edmund said, "In the way she talks to you, about you. The way she acts. It's something in the eyes, even Lucy sees it."

"Lucy?" Peter said. Was it that obvious?

"Yes. She says Susan would never have done something like betraying us. She thinks you told her something upsetting."

Peter's heart almost stopped beating. Could it be – was it _his_ fault? The gaze of his brother burned on Peter's back, and he felt there was a serious question coming up. He was right.

"You can be perfectly honest about this," Edmund said carefully, "I've heard – I mean – are you in love with Susan?"

"_Enough_!" exclaimed Peter, while jerking around, "I'm adopted!"

The decision of telling Edmund came so sudden, that Peter himself was a little startled about it. But to his painful surprise Edmund didn't get the point.

"I like to think I'm adopted too, now and then, but this isn't the right time and place, Peter! We need to stick together!" he exclaimed, and Peter tried to say it again. But he could in no way bring himself to it, so he said nothing and closed his eyes again while shaking his head.

"We must stick together, Peter," Edmund said softly, "We must keep the gaps between us as small as possible."

Peter moved away from him, avoiding his dark eyes. It was silent for a few seconds, and Edmund didn't know what to do. He felt so powerless. How was he going to get Peter to speak? He had seen the love between Peter and Susan, even before they fully realized it themselves. It was too natural to be wrong, so why wouldn't Peter just tell him? Why was he creating this gap between him and the rest?

"Can't you see it, Peter? Are you blind?" Edmund's whisper tore Peter's heart apart, but he was as silent as the grave.

"Can't you _see_? You're making us fall apart!" Edmund shouted, voice filled with alarming panic.

"Leave it, Edmund," Lucy stood behind them. Peter nor Edmund had seen her come in, "We've already fallen."

And with these words Edmund threw Peter a look, that made him feel so small. He was frozen in complete horror. A look of despairing calmness, confirming Lucy's words more than anything else. Had the Pevensies really fallen? Those were the words that woke Peter up, opened his eyes, retrieved his common sense. He _had_ to make this better, at any cost. They weren't dead yet, right? Was there nothing left to save?

"I think we should talk," these wise words came from Susan, who had appeared behind Lucy. There wasn't a single resist, not even from Peter. Susan walked up to him, put a hand on his shoulder and looked at him.

"This is the moment, Peter," she said, "Tell them."

* * *

Peter walked down the riverbank. The beautiful afternoon was warm and sunny, and yet Peter couldn't really see it. He tried to organize his chaotic brain, but he wasn't very succesful. He thought about just now. A few minutes ago. When he had told Edmund and Lucy. Edmund had smiled and said that he always knew there was something very natural about him and Susan. Then Lucy had hugged him firmly.

"I love you, my dearest brother," she had said. It was an intense and intimite moment, leaving him completely bewildered and confused. Then he had said he needed to take a walk, and left. He also thought about how Susan and he were going to deal with each other. He loved her deeply, they both knew that, but something stopped him from taking the proper actions. Although the whole adoption-thing had taken way more time and thought lately, the betrayal with the Witch had not left his mind, and however happy he was that she was alive, he couldn't forgive her. Never.

Ofcourse Peter knew he was wrong there, in fact he had already started forgiving her. And he also knew that he had had a certain role in the decision. _And_ that he hadn't let her speak, so he didn't even knew what exactly had made her do it. And he also knew that it was he himself who had changed instead of her. And that took him all the way back to his adoption. He sighed.

"It's not her fault," he said to himself, "Susan can't help it. I can't blame her for my own misery. Ooh, what a mess."

A nice breeze blew through his hair, and somewhere in his unconcious, Peter heard a girly chuckling. Another breeze came over him, this time actually speaking to him in the back of his mind. _Yes, it's a mess, isn't it?_ The breezes were warm, yet Peter couldn't stop shivering. It was like someone was watching him. He looked behind him, almost getting paranoid with his own thoughts. Another gust of wind. _Up here!_ and a chuckle. He looked at the sky for a while, but when he saw nothing he lowered his gaze, until it dropped on one of the trees. It was a very big ash tree, standing out on the others. He took a couple of steps towards it. There was something special about this tree. He took another couple of steps, and now stood closely in front of it. There was a pretty fresh cut in the trunk. He looked at it very closely, and then suddenly he noticed the pair of brown eyes staring back at him. Peter quickly moved away from the tree, almost falling over. Another gust of wind, which seemed to come _from_ the tree; _you afraid?_

"No," Peter said, and he walked back. The pair of eyes had not moved. Intrigued by this strange tree, Peter moved in as closely as he could. He was now so close that his nose almost touched the trunk.

"Hey," he said softly, as if he was afraid to disturb it, "Who are you?"

With a blink the eyes disappeared. Then suddenly an arm stretched out, grabbed Peter's shirt and with a loud yell Peter was pulled _into_ the tree. He was yelling and shouting, and completely out of his mind.

"What are you doing! Who are you?"

He stood obviously _in_ the tree (in fact it was the same tree as Susan had been in, and he was also with the same person who had saved Susan, but he didn't know that ofcourse), together with a female. She was shorter than him, and she wore darkgreen clothes. Her halflong brown hair was loosely tied together with a string, and on her back hung a quiver with a bow. Attached to her belt there hung a dagger.

"Hey mate," she said. She chuckled, and Peter recognized it.

"Let me _OUT_!" Peter shouted in panic. He was in huge denial, but actually he was rather claustrophobic.

"Okay," she said and she shoved him backwards. He tumbled on his back in the grass, gasping for breath and eyes widened with start. When he saw the female was nowhere around, he allowed himself to relax.

"Oh my god," he said to himself, "That was freaky."

There was a gust of wind, bearing a few leaves coming together to a figureand suddenly she was there again.

"Yeah, wow, you must be scarred for life," she said in a sarcastic voice.

"Who _are _you?" Peter asked, gasping for breath.

"I'm Fae," she said, "Who are _you_?"

Peter stood up again.

"I – I'm Peter," he answered, and he took a good look at her.

"And _what_ are you?" she asked smiling, "Another human?"

"Well, yes. Aren't you?" Peter asked in return, but then mentally slapped himself. _Note to self;_ he thought, _no humans in Narnia!_

"Err – no," Fae said, "I'm a dryade."

Peter smiled interested.

"An elf?"

"A nymph," she said, "A treespirit, to be more exact."

"Cool," Peter said, "I've never seen a treespirit before."

"Aah, well, I wish I could say I never saw a human before, but I can't," she smiled, "I saw two She-Humans this morning."

"Shumans?" Peter asked and he made a face.

"Yeah," replied Fae, "Females, you know."

"Oh! Really?" Peter said, "That must've been Susan and Lucy."

"Susan and Lucy.. yes. Pretty strange. One minute you've never seen a human before, and next whole Narnia is swarmed with them," Fae snickered, "Ah well. Where are you headed?"

"Oh – oh yes. Err – no, I wasn't really going somewhere," Peter said, "Just taking a walk."

"Aah, great," Fae said, "Well, I will no longer bother you then."

She walked back to the tree. Peter didn't want her to go. He wanted to know more about her.

"Err, Fae?"

She turned around and smiled.

"Hmm?"

"Do you – err," Peter began, "Would you like to – err..."

"I would _love_ to!" Fae said and she smiled widely. Then she walked back to him and they started walking together.

"Okay, so tell me, are you here to fulfill the prophecy?" Fae asked, "Cause I am getting confused with all these humans."

"I guess," Peter said, "I'm not sure."

"But Aslan is here, right? And Father Christmas," she said, "And you can obviously see" (she made a broad gesture towards the trees and the grass and the river) "that the Witch's power is already failing. How can you not be sure?"

"I suppose I'm not really sure about anything right now," Peter said, and it fell silent. Suddenly there was a loud splash and on the riverbank then there sat a young lady. Her skin was as white as the snow, and her hair fell silvery on her shoulders.

"Annaya," said Fae with a smile.

"Fae," replied Annaya.

"This is Annaya, Peter," Fae said, "She's a Naiad."

"Pleased to meet you," Peter said, and he offered her his hand. She looked at it with an amused smile slumbering on her lips, and Peter wondered if there was something wrong.

"What is it?" he asked insecurely. Annaya looked at him.

"Why are you doing that?" she asked.

"Oh," Peter pulled back his arm, "Well, in my world people shake hands when they meet eachother. It's polite."

"Oh, I'm sorry then," Annaya said, and she threw Fae a look as if to say 'he is crazy'. Peter rolled his eyes.

"I must go," Annaya then said, and she yawned, "I'll speak to you later, Fae. Bye – Peter."

"Bye," Peter and Fae said and they continued their walk.

"I'm sorry about her," Fae said, "She can be somewhat tactless once and a while. She's young, only 3 years old. But she's really very nice when you know her."

"3?" Peter said, "I thought she was around 16."

"16? Are you serious? They do think of her older than she is, but 16 is exaggerated," Fae said with a laugh. Peter frowned puzzled.

"How old are you, then?"

"Four," she said.

"What? Okay, I'm lost now," Peter said, "You are four years old? I thought you were as old as my brother!"

"How old is your brother?"

"16!"

"Really?" Fae asked, "Wow. And you are? Six? Maybe 7?"

"I'm eightteen," Peter said, and Fae raised an eyebrow.

"Eightteen?" she repeated, "Wow, you really do look a lot younger than you are. Or – ofcourse!"

She slapped her forehead and laughed.

"What?" Peter asked confused. Fae looked at him.

"Nymphs have a completely different growingprocess," she explained, "We grow in our first year the same as a normal creature would grow in 12 years. After that we just go steady year by year like anyone else. So if you count in normal years that would mean I'm..." she paused a few seconds, "...sixteen."

"Ah!" said Peter, "So you _are_ in fact as old as my brother."

"How funny," Fae chuckled.

"But I can now understand why you were so confused just now," Peter said and he laughed, "When I'm eightteen in your years, I would be 29 in my own."

"Yeah, so that would be a bit much," Fae said smiling. They walked for an hour until Peter saw that they had walked back to the camp without noticing.

"Look, we're back," he said. Fae smiled broadly.

"Let's go see Aslan!" she said enthusiastically.

"I'm not sure he –" Peter started, but Fae wasn't listening. What he had wanted to say, was that he wasn't sure if Aslan had the time to see anyone else besides generals and admirals and all those important things. But when they came to Aslan's tent, he was happy he didn't say it out loud.

"Aslan," Fae said with a broad smile when she had walked in and saw him. Aslan turned around.

"General! What a pleasure to see you again," he said, "How have you been?"

"Great, Aslan. I'm just a little confused," she replied, "I have seen three humans today! Since when are there humans in Narnia?"

"There are only four, my dearest dryade," Aslan said snickering, "This is Peter."

"Yes, I know," said Fae, and she smiled at Peter. Peter was surprised when he found himself shivering at it, "But this morning I met two she-humans. Me and a couple of Niondryades saved them from Jadis. The big one was being bullied around by the witch, and the little one was crawling out of the river."

"The river?" said Aslan, at the same time as Peter exclaimed "What!".

"What, is something wrong?" asked Fae, raising an eyebrow, "Should I have let them?"

"My dearest general, you and the Nions should be decorated for this!"

"Really?" Fae said amused, "Could you give me a higher rank in my army?"

"Your WHAT?" Peter's jaw dropped, but he was ignored.

"You already have the highest rank," Aslan replied to Fae, his voice rather stern as if they had been through it before. Fae looked disappointed.

"Oh, yeah," she said, as if she just reminded it, "Ah well, too bad," she shrugged.

"What?" Peter repeated.

"What what?" Fae said confused.

"You have an _army_?" Peter said stunned.

"Err – yeah," said Fae, not directly looking him in his eyes as if she was ashamed of it.

"And you saved Susan?" Peter added even more stunned.

"The big one? Yes, I pulled her into the same tree as you," Fae said somewhat irritated at the memory, "She was all weird and she just wouldn't shut up. It was pretty annoying."

"Thank you," he said sincerely, and he felt he meant it with his whole entity.

"At your service, your Majesty," Fae smiled and slightly bowed her head.

"General," Aslan said, and the attention was with him again, "I want tonight a great feast and a dance. I want you to make everything ready."

Fae's face brightened like the sun rose again, and her smile was wider than ever. She obviously loved those kind of things.

"Yes sir! I'll go to work immediatly and send Dascha when all is ready," she said enthousiastically, "Bye Peter!"

"Bye," he replied smiling. Then she was gone with a gust of wind, and Peter wasn't sure wether she had walked out of the tent or just disappeared. He turned to Aslan.

"She has an army," he sighed in awe, "And she's sixteen."

"She has led her army since she was twelve," Aslan said with a grin, "I know what you're thinking, Son of Adam."

"What am I thinking?"

"How can someone so young lead an army?"

Peter smiled.

"She's enchanting and smart," he said, "and she's strong. I can see how she does it. But why? Is it normal here?"

"It depends on what you call normal, Son of Adam," said Aslan, "There are many people who have led armies so early. Some even younger than Fae. But Fae herself is not normal, no."

"What is so special about her, then?" Peter asked.

"Haven't you noticed?" Aslan asked as a reply. Peter fell silent and thought. Yes he had indeed noticed that there was something about her.

"I thought it was just because she's a dryade," he said.

"Yes, that is ofcourse true," Aslan said, "But you will see if you meet other dryades, that there is something different."

"What is it?" Peter asked in a slightly whiney voice.

"You will see, Son of Adam," Aslan said, and Peter knew that was the end of the conversation.

* * *

The party was great. There was a group of fauns playing rather wild music on strange stringed instruments and drums and flutes. Dryades and Naiads and fauns were dancing, just as Lucy and Peter having the time of their lives with mr Tumnus and Fae. Edmund was sitting at the drinkstable getting more and more sociable, while the wine was getting less and less, and then you got Susan. Susan wasn't at all having fun. She was sitting at a chair at the side of the dancefloor, sulking and pretending not to look at Peter. He hadn't given her any of his attention at all, and she was pretty damn offended. Suddenly the young dryade called Dascha sat down next to her, and pushed a little glass of faunwhiskey in her hand.

"You look like you need it," she said, "Why aren't you dancing?"

Susan grumbled, and continued not looking at Peter. Dascha followed her gaze.

"Aah! Sulking about that guy with Fae over there," she said, " Well, I can be clear about that."

Susan looked at her.

"What do you mean?" she asked annoyed, yet a little curious.

"He's not going to come with you," Dascha said simply, "Or at least not until the end of the party, which has not nearly ended. And I can tell you this," she chuckled, "even then he'll choose her bed over yours."

With those words she left Susan. They had definately hurt her, they had gone deeper than she would've wanted to allow them to. But before she even had the chance to feel sorry for herself, Edmund sat, well – more like fell down next to her on the chair that Dascha just left. He layed an arm around her, and said in a drunken voice, "Susan, I forgive you, for everything. Yeah. You're my sister."

"I know, Ed," said Susan with a mocking smile (although she knew that was out of place, looking at the fact that she was being forgiven for the stupidest thing she had ever done in her entire life. Edmund was drunk, but still.).

"Yes? Okay?" Edmund said, almost falling off his chair, "You're my sister, Sue."

"Yes, Ed," said Susan. She drank the faunwhiskey she had in her hand in one gulp and then stood up, helping Edmund to his feet, "I know. Come on, I'll get you back."

* * *

The next morning was the first thing Susan noticed, that Peter's bed was empty. She walked over to it, and touched the cold matress. He hadn't come home last night.

"This is the end," Susan said to herself, as she realized Dascha had been right last night, "I'm never going to be with him."

The Peter & Fae thing had not escaped Edmund's noticing either. When Susan walked out, he sat at the table in the open air, having breakfast. He was obviously sulking.

"Goodmorning," Susan said, and she sat down at the opposite of her younger brother.

"You think so?" Edmund grumbled.

"No," Susan replied in a whiney voice, finding herself unable to keep a straight face. Edmund reached her a glass of juice, and threw her a look of sympathy. Susan looked at his rather pale face.

"Are you alright?" she asked worried, "You look awful."

"I'm okay," Edmund said, not very convincing, "Nothing wrong."

"Edmund!" Susan said very amused, "You don't have to try and hide it from me; I dragged you all the way back last night."

"What do you mean?" Edmund asked innocent.

"All the wine was gone,"

"What wine?"

"Edmund!"

"Ooh, please, woman! Let me have some fun!" Edmund said and Susan laughed. Then it fell silent again, and they were both thinking about Peter and Fae.

"Peter always gets the beautiful girls," Edmund said after a while, "Damnit."

"Don't sulk too much about this one, Ed, she isn't even a real girl," Susan said.

Edmund threw her a very puzzled look.

"What do you mean?"

Susan sat back with a sigh and managed to smile, although it was a little wry.

"She is a tree."


	9. Chapter 9

_The Back of the Wardrobe_

Set in the old BBC version 1988.

Susan always felt in a different, indefinable way about Peter. When he tells her that he is adopted, that feelings clear up.

Disclaimer; I do not own Narnia and all it's creatures, I just do stuff to them to make CS Lewis angry.

**Perfectangel9000:** Here you go (:  
**Silent Cobra:** Yeah, Susan's kinda being the bitch. And in fact, she is right. Ofcourse it's all a bit more complicated, but in fact a dryade is part of a tree. Imagine how Susan feels! A tree stole her boyfriend. Yeah, well ... awkward moment... :P  
**CiceroGuided:** Okay, that simply rocks:D  
**Aminuleen:** You're not forcing me into things, are you:P No, I really like the idea, but it's just not fitting here. Maybe I'll use it some other time if that's okay with you.  
**KibumiWong:** thank you, thank you, thank you :D As for Peter; I think you'll like him alot more after this chapter (:  
**Zeldy:** Well, it's supposed to be a Peter/Susan fic. Fae's just there to mess a little bit with both Susan ánd Peter.

I know you love me for updating this soon :P  
This one is even longer than chapter 8 (: And no flames please; I _know_ I suck at battlescenes.

* * *

**IX. Pre-battle, battle and after-battle**

A few weeks went by and Peter had built a tender relationship with Fae. He was delighted to be around her, and everyday he discovered more and more lovely things about her. She could be so sweet and nice and honest, and then the next minute she could be so nasty and mean and deliciously sadistic. He could truly say he was in love. Not that Susan was forgotten. Oh no, not nearly. Peter found it a delicate matter to be around Susan, who wanted Peter more and liked Fae less everyday. He wasn't sure what she was from him, since she wasn't his sister anymore, nor was she really a friend, and she was definately not his lover. He wasn't sure if she ever really was or would be. But lately he didn't have the time to think about it. News of the White Witch's moving forces had reached Aslan's camp, and Peter almost collapsed under the weight of so much tension, especially now that Aslan himself had _left_ the camp for god knows why. But despite all that Peter was pretty confident about this upcoming battle. He had seen his army, he had seen the perfect shape they were in, plus he was in a prophecy. What could go wrong about that? A number of leaves, dancing on a gust of wind blew into the tent and sudddenly he felt lips in the back of his neck.

"Hey," said Peter smiling, "How are you?"

"I'm fine," said Fae, resting her head on his shoulder, "You? Getting hold of the nerves?"

"Oh, it's not that bad. I have faith in this war," he said, "It should not be too hard to defeat her."

Fae parted from him, laughing as if he made a joke, but when Peter threw her a puzzled look, the joy faded quickly and Peter saw the turn she made from personal to business.

"Peter, that woman has been governing this country for a hundred years, you know that, right? A hundred years. That's a lot longer than you and I have lived. And in that hundred years she has collected more allies than you can possibly imagine," she said as calmly as she could, "You can't actually believe that she is so easily defeated."

"Oh come on, we can handle it," Peter said, "I've got everything under control."

"Okay, okay, if you say so," Fae said comforted, "I will trust you. Can I see your battleplan? Maybe I can make some little adjustments, to make it just that little bit better."

Peter swallowed. Fae turned around and walked over to the table, where she poured herself something to drink.

"B-battleplan?"

Fae turned around very slowly, her eyes widened.

"No," she shook her head and snickered in disbelief, "No, tell me this isn't true. You're playing a game with me. Where is your battleplan?"

"It will be alright," Peter said, getting a little insecure now.

"It will be alright?" it was a whisper of mere disbelief, "_It will be alright_?"

Peter fell silent uncomfortably.

"And HOW exactly is it going to be alright? Huh?" Fae shouted, "You're going to march up against the White Witch's army, which is ten times bigger than yours and you KNOW it –"

"Numbers don't win a battle," Peter tried to soften it.

"No, but they sure do help – and they have better weapons, they have stronger creatures with less fear and I can assure you they will be very organized. All because they _do_ have a battleplan, and I dare to bet it's perfect. Peter, _please_ don't be so damn naïeve!"

Peter was a bit offended by that.

"Then what do _you_ suppose we do, _General_?" he said, and he was already regretting the rude tone it came out on.

"We?" Fae raised a mocking eyebrow, "I don't think you have to count on a _we_ here, Peter. _You_ are going to be High King when you're going to win this – _if_ you are going to win this. _You_ think of something. _You_ and _your_ army can march up against the White Witch and lose whatever way _you_ want."

"I might not lose. I have the elves-army," Peter said.

"That is indeed a very strong army," Fae said, and for a moment Peter thought she was changing her mind, until he saw the look on her face, "But how much faith do you think Aillil has in an eightteen years old, experienceless human without a Battleplan?"

"I'm in the prophecy,"

"Yeah, well, that prophecy sure did a lot for your fightingskills," Fae said mocking, referring back to the weeks and weeks and weeks of practicing she had spent on him, "Look Peter, I am not getting my nymphs killed in a fight like this. I might as well send them one by one to the Witch's castle."

"Fae, please," only now Peter felt how tired he was. He felt stupid and rejected. Fae started pacing up and down the tent, "Why can't you just help me?" he asked defeated.

"Becauseyou are being _naïve_! You think you can just pop in, defeat the queen, and take over Narnia, but guess what, Peter," she exclaimed, "That's not the way it works."

"Why are you calling her a _queen_?" Peter asked with disgust in his voice. He was doing everything, anything to not break down right now. Fae did nothing but tell him the truth, he knew that, but he had never imagined that the truth would be so damn awful. And ofcourse the way she brought it wasn't all that tactical. Next to her nice sides Peter had also got familiar with her temper.

"Because she _is_, Peter. People can deny it whatever they want, but until you have defeated her, and the prophecy gets fulfilled, she is."

"Relax," Peter grabbed her upper arm and forced her to look at him, "You're freaking out."

Fae jerked herself out of his grasp, and pointed a threatening finger at him.

"You are NOT going to do that EVER again," she yelled. He smiled at her as if she was being impulsive and completely unreasonable. He knew he shouldn't be treating her like that, as much as he knew he was going to suffer for this. But one way or another, he just couldn't bring himself on striking another attitude.

"Come on, Fae," he said as sweetly possible and he tried to give her a kiss. But as soon he came close enough, she slapped him in his face. Peter cringed lightly and sank down on the bed behind him. Tears gathered in his eyes. It hurt, ofcourse it hurt, but more in his heart than on his skin.

"Don't you patronize me, Peter Pevensie," she said threatening, and with those words, she walked out and left Peter sitting there. He rested his head on one hand, and with the other he touched the painful spot where Fae had hit him. So he sat for what seemed to him like hours. Susan's shadow projected on his tent, before she came in.

"Peter, Aillil is here!" she said to him, with a happy tone in her voice. Her face twisted when she saw him, "Peter? What happened?"

Peter didn't react. Susan walked in a few steps.

"Shall I tell Aillil to come back later?" she asked.

Peter smiled at her, shook his head and stood up.

"No, no, send him in," he said. Susan nodded and left. A few seconds later the elvenprince stepped into Peter's tent.

"Aillil," Peter bowed deeply. Aillil grabbed him by his clothing and firmly put him straight up.

"No time for that rubbish, boy. We have a war hanging over us. Where is your battleplan?" Aillil said, while walking to the table with Peter in on his heels.

"Well, I actually just went through a similar conversation. I have not yet managed to develop a good battleplan,"

"But you have a beginning?" Aillil asked hopefully.

"Err – no,"

Aillil turned around so sudden, that Peter almost bumped into him. The scarred face was distorted with disbelief.

"You don't have a _battleplan_?"

Peter shook his head. Aillil opened his mouth to say something, but Peter was first.

"Look, I'm very sorry, but this is just the way it is. I have just been hit the hell out of me for it, so please, lets now begin with a battleplan. Else we won't have any time left at all."

Aillil agreed. Peter layed a Narnia-map on the table.

"Okay, this is where we are now," Aillil placed his finger on the map. _Aslan's Camp_, Peter wrote, "This is where we will meet the Witch's army," _Battlefield_. "Okay, let's see."

Aillil started at the map for a while.

"Yes," he said then, "Yes, I think it is wise to wait for her before this rockformation. My army will be in the middle, behind you. You should put the riders and a few Animals like the tigers in front, the rest behind that. Then you might want to split your army Talking Animals up in two groups. One will be at the left and one at the right. They can close the Witch's army in for so far that is possible. Be sure the middle-army makes six strong lines. It would be beautiful to have the Witch's army closed in and deathwalled. The flying army will throw rocks at them, I see no further problem on that. Then, the most important thing. If I were you, I would place your brother Edmund on top of the rocks here, with the Nymphs-army. They have a few of the best archers Narnia has ever-"

"Err, sir," Peter interrupted him.

"What, you gotta go to the bathroom?" Aillil asked mocking. Peter shook his head.

"I don't – I don't have the nymphs army," he whispered. Aillil looked at him and his jaw dropped.

"You don't have the – WHAT? You don't have _Fae_?"

Peter shook his head. Aillil sighed and massaged his forhead with his knuckles.

"Okay, let me think. Where is Aslan?" he asked. Peter swallowed.

"I don't know," he weezed. Aillil freaked out.

"Okay, _how do you want to win this battle?_ Can you tell me that? You have obviously no idea of the Witch's power, you have no battleplan, you have no idea where your King is, you don't have the strongest army in Narnia at your disposal..." He sighed, "You make a damn bad King, so far."

Peter looked at the ground.

"I think I'm going to take a little walk. I'm back in a few minutes," he said rather suffocated by tears, and before Aillil could stop him he had went outside. Edmund, who was sitting on the grass enjoying the sun, saw him walking into the forest and decided to go after him.

"Peter," he exclaimed, "Wait up!"

But Peter didn't wait. He walked and walked and didn't give any sign that he had even heard Edmund. When Edmund had catched up on him, he looked beside him at his little brother and tried to smile. He failed.

"What is it, Peter?" Edmund asked a little worried. Peter sighed.

"Aillil is completely killing me off. I don't have a battleplan" (Edmund could just in time stop himself from chuckling. Who in god's name would want to go to battle without battleplan?) "and they hate me for it."

"They?" Edmund asked.

"Fae," Peter sighed and sat down on a fallen tree, "She's withdrawed her army from the battle."

"She did _what_?" Edmund said unpleasantly surprised. Peter looked at him, and Edmund saw he was trying to bear up bravely.

"Yeah. She has deserted us," he said with a trembling voice, and he grinned joylessly.

* * *

"Hello Edmund,"

She said it before Edmund had even really entered her tent. He hesitated. Fae radiated so much power that it made him feel diminutive and small. It oftenly surprised him, because she was practically as old as he was. But he had to be strong now, and he stepped in.

"I can't believe you're doing this to us," he said, a little startled by all the emotion in his own voice. She was sitting on her bed with her back towards him, polishing her bow.

"What?" she asked. It frustrated Edmund that she was so calm. Did she even realize what this was about?

"Deserting us!" he then said as calmly possible. Which means he didn't sound calm at all. Fae sighed, and Edmund heard her voice tremble, afraid she was going to scream at him. But when she spoke, her voice was sad.

"I'm not in the mood, Edmund. Be nice or be off,"

Edmund didn't like making her sad, and his own voice softened.

"Fae, he needs you. You can't let him fight this war alone," he said as nice as possible.

"This is not a war. It's a massacre," it sounded convincing. It was enough to drive Edmund crazy.

"You're just chickening out," he said, "It's disgusting."

Fae stood in front of him so suddenly, her furious face so close to his, that he had to repress a yell.

"Than what am I supposed to do? Put my nymphs to Peter's disposal, and then watch how he gives orders to let themselves get killed?" she shouted. Edmund was startled and pretty intimidated, but he did not back away from her.

"Peter is doing the best he can!" he exclaimed. Fae's face softened again, and she took a step back.

"Yes," she sat back down on her bed, "Yes I know. But sometimes your best isn't good enough."

"Then why don't you _do_ something?" Edmund shouted, completely out of his mind, until he realized that her words might've had a double meaning. He walked up to her, kneeling in front of her and resting his arms on her knees.

"What's the matter Fae?" he asked, "Have we done something to you?"

"It's not you, Edmund," Fae said and tears started rolling down her cheeks, "It's me."

"Peter," Edmund said, sighing.

"I don't have him, Edmund," Fae sobbed, "I do not have his full love. I don't think he realizes it himself, but he loves Susan."

Edmund nodded and sighed. He had also seen it. Fae threw him a despairing look, and for the first time ever, someone saw how young she was. How incredibly young and vulnerable she was. Hardened by experience, but secretly not really ready for the responsibility of an army.

"I love him, Edmund," she said, "I really do. All I want for him is to be happy, whether that it with me or with Susan. I have tried to get him to say he'd rather be with Susan, but he doesn't, and it pains me. Because whatever I do, I'll never really have him."

She started to cry out loud now, and Edmund pulled her in his embrace until she had calmed down a little bit.

"You must pull yourself together, Fae, come on," he said, "This is not about you and Peter right now, this is about the fate of Narnia. Wouldn't you think it would be a little selfish to restrain from the battle, while this is about your land too? I understand what you're saying about not wanting your Nymphs to die, but not fighting won't make it any better."

Fae sobbed and looked away. Edmund gently grabbed her by her shoulders and forced her to look back at him. His dark eyes pierced hers.

"You too want to end this winter, right?" he asked. Fae sighed and looked down.

"Ofcourse," she snivelled, clumsily wiping the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand.

"And I don't know about Peter," Edmund said, "But you're a friend of mine, and I love you too."

Fae looked up at him.

"You do?" she asked insecurely. He laughed and wiped the last tears from her face.

"Ofcourse," he said.

* * *

Peter gazed over the broad green valley. The White Witch could appear there, beyond that hill, any moment. He looked behind him. As far as he could see were creatures, that all looked up to him with hope in their eyes. They all had a great faith in him.

And there, on the battlefield, in the silence before the storm, Peter started doubting himself more than ever. He blinked frantically to keep his tears from falling, and wondered however he had gotten himself into this situation? He was only eightteen and now had to fight for the sake of _his_ land, that he had entered only about two months ago, without his king and his brother. For Aslan nor Edmund had showed up yet. The unicorn moved nervously under his body. The White Witch was not far from here.

"Is that – Edmund?"

Peter looked at Susan, who was staring in the distance on his right. He turned his head and indeed saw his little brother, on the brown horse called Philip, galloping up to them. He had the broadest grin on his face Peter had ever seen.

"Edmund!" Peter said, "Where were you?"

"You'll see," Edmund said, and he came stand inbetween him and Susan. Peter looked him up and down. Edmund didn't wear the usual Narnian armour, like Peter and Susan and the rest of their army. The armour he wore was made of a glistening silver, looking so fragile but no doubt hard as stone. To his belt hang a sword in a sheath, which was engraved with leaves, that Peter had never seen before. On Edmund's back ofcourse hang his quiver and bow.

"Peter," Susan said again, "Look!"

Peter looked across the valley. This was it. The end of Narnia.

"No," Susan shook her head, "Look over _there_!" and she pointed at Peter's right again. Slowly, as if in slowmotion, Peter turned his head to the right. There in the distance, standing sharply out against the colors of the sunrise, stood a horse with a rider on his back. Peter couldn't discern the face, but from the small and somewhat slender build he could see that it was a woman – a young woman in armour. She turned her horse and braught a horn to her lips. Then she threw her head in her neck and blew it. The sound was beautiful and it was like music to Peter's ears. Peter already felt stronger, _ready_ to do this battle, or at least as ready as one can be for a battle. But then, to Peter's awe, an army marched over the hill, and passed the horn-blowing woman. It were hundreds of nymphs in armour. They marched up to Peter's troops and melted into it effortless. While the last perfectly organized group of nymphs were linked to Peter's troops, the young female galloped up to him. When Peter saw her face, all his doubts disappeared.

"Fae..."

Fae didn't look him in the eyes, but just smiled calmly and stood beside him.

"I don't know what to say," whispered Peter.

"Then say nothing," replied Fae, "One of my scouts is out there. We'll know when the White Witch will attack."

Peter sighed relieved; he had some more time to prepare himself mentally, for he hadn't had the time for that.

"Why did you...?" he didn't even had the strength to finish. He looked at her. Her armour was similar to Edmund's. Only now light for a woman. Then he looked back at her army. It was so beautiful. Every nymph in whole Narnia seemed to have gathered, and now they watched the sunrise, with determined looks on their faces.

"Why did you…" he tried again, but he found he was unable to speak properly.

"Every generation has it's time and it's glory, Peter. It's own battle. You cannot delay your time, for that is not your decision. And you don't _want_ to ignore your glory," she said. It fell silent.

"And ofcourse, as in all epic stories, a friend came to convince me," she added in a confessing tone with a laugh and Peter heard Edmund grinning. Over the hill at the other side of the valley came a white horse with a dryade on it. No doubt Fae's scout.

"That's our sign," Fae said with a smile.

"General!" the young dryade yelled. She stopped next to Fae, gasping for breath, and Peter saw it was Dascha, "It's time!"

"Thank you," Fae replied, "Stand with the others."

Dascha nodded and linked to the riders in her army. For the first time since her arrival, Fae looked Peter right in the eyes.

"She is here,"

The troops were silent as the grave. The air layed thick and heavy on Peter's shoulders. At the other side of the valley, thick stormclouds appeared. The grass froze and the green trees immediatly let go of their leaves. Then, they saw her. She stood in a carriage pulled by polarbears, the White Witch. Her army, even bigger than Peter had expected, gathered behind her. Fae turned around and started talking.

"This is our time! This is our glory!" she yelled, "Come, friends, and stand for the faith of Narnia!"

"For Narnia," their army said in unison. Fae turned around again, facing the army at the other side of the valley.

"Let's exterminate them!" she said, and she blew her horn again. She looked Peter in the eyes, in the two or three second-silence before the storm.

"This is our battle," she said softly.

"For Aslan!" Peter shouted. His horse rose on his back legs, and then he galloped down, with Susan, Fae and Edmund on his heels. And behind them, all good that was left in Narnia. Peter saw everything through a haze, as if it was a dream. He even dared to smile. _How many boys get to do this?_ he thought. But he was roughly woken up from that dream when their armies met eachother. Peter repressed a yell when iron met iron and teeth met flesh. Fear pumped a strange kind of adrenaline into his blood as he killed the first – _thing_. He didn't even had the time to see _what_ exactly he had killed, cause another thing had showed up, trying to hit him off his unicorn with his axe. When Peter blocked the attack, he saw it was a minotaur. The beast was giving him blow after blow with his axe, determined on killing him. Peter found himself hesitating whether to kill the minotaur or not, but then he realized this was war, and with one slash he cut the minotaurs head off. Peter turned his head away in disgust, but realized that was a stupid thing to do, when he was smashed to the ground. With a disoriented look on his face he looked around him, to see that someone killed his unicorn. Quickly he came to his feet, when he saw a snowleopard leaping with wide open mouth and blinking teeth. He raised his sword, just like he had done with Maugrim. Only now, when his sword had sunk into the animal's flesh, he quickly threw it to the right, preventing it from landing on him anyway like Maugrim had. More and more evil creatures came running his way and soon he pretty much got the hang of it. As he ran down the battlefield (he had no time to feel sad about the unicorn), adrenaline pumping through his veins, he suddenly saw Fae. If he would have had the time, Peter would have stopped to watch her. She sat on her horse, moving really elegant, for as elegant you can move when you're killing minotaurs while sitting on a horse, with a serious look on her face. A few meters away from here was Edmund, sitting on Philip and firing arrows, and although Peter wished he could send Edmund back home, he was proud that his brother could take such a good care of himself. Suddenly Fae whipped around, firing an arrow in Edmund's direction, and Peter slipped a yell when it almost hit him. But instead of Edmund it hit a dwarf, who was trying to attack him from behind. Suddenly something overshadowed him. He looked behind him and saw the Witch had sent her evil giants in.

"Ooh, shit," Peter muttered when one of them came too close, "No way," and he ran away when a few of Fae's nymphs started letting a rain of arrows down on the giant. The battle went on and on, and Peter noticed how his forces were getting tired. Still, how many creatures they killed, the Witch's forces seemed to be indestructible. Fae appeared next to him on her horse.

"How many have you killed?" Peter asked panting, while slashing another demon to the ground and killing it.

"There's no single minotaur left in Narnia," she replied.

"Good j- wow!" Peter said, pointing to one of her dryades who was getting cornered by two minotaurs.

"Sweet jesus, they duplicate," Fae said before she raced to aid the dryade. Peter grinned, but yelled when a dwarf smashed him to the ground with his club. He managed to get on his feet almost immediatly, only to get smashed back on his back in the grass again. He blocked another blow from the dwarf and then stabbed his sword right into his chest (the evil dwarfs as well as the good ones didn't want to wear armour, it kind of frustrated Peter). _They're with too many_, Peter thought, _We're never going to win this._

Edmund pulled his sword out of the dead body of a snowleopard, and quickly turned around when Philip said so, to kill another that had leaped up to him.

"Can you handle it, Philip?" he then asked.

"Can you?" replied the horse in his grumpy voice, and Edmund snickered. Behind him he heard Peter's voice shouting something at Fae, but he couldn't hear what he was saying.

"Edmund!" he then heard Fae shouting and he turned around.

"What?"

For a moment she was distracted by shooting a minotaur, but then she turned back.

"We can't take them," she shouted, "Take my archers and lead them to the rocks. Fire them when we've taken them close enough."

Edmund gave a nod, and turned with Philip.

"Archers!" he shouted as hard as he could, "Follow me!"

He layed flat on Philips back, who was racing as hard as his legs could have.

"Edmund!" Edmund forced Philip to a sudden stop. He cursed. A few meters away from him stood Peter face to face with the Witch nearby a tree, growing against one of the rocks. He was frantically trying to block her attacks, which she made with a straight, ice cold face. She was really bloody brilliant with her sword.

"Edmund!" yelled Peter, "They're with too many! Get the girls, and get them home!"

Edmund looked at the archers, who were throwing him confused looks. Edmund wasn't sure whether to follow Fae or Peter's orders. So then he decided to do neither.

"Lead the archers, Philip," Edmund said.

"Edm-" But Edmund had already jumped off, running towards Peter and the Witch. She had now thrown Peter to the ground, attacking him again and again, so he could barely block them. Edmund ran as quickly as he could while raising his sword, and as the Witch raised her wand, he shattered the wand to pieces. She turned around, for a moment disoriented by the broken wand. But when she looked at Edmund, her eyes were full of fury, and with one fluent move, she stabbed. Peter watched powerless how the sharp end of the wand disappeared in Edmund's flesh. Then his little brother fell to the ground, not moving, barely breathing.

"Fae!" Peter shouted, now giving the Witch furious attacks of his own, "Help!"

Fae looked at him over her shoulder, but he gestured to Edmund and her gaze dropped to the ground. Then her eyes widened with fear, and she turned her horse. A large minotaur jumped inbetween her and Edmund.

"Oh, not now!" Peter heard her yell before she killed him off, "You're in my way!"

"Goddamn minotaurs," he then heard her mutter, and he even managed to smile inbetween two of the Witch's attacks. Fae raced up to Edmund, jumping of her horse and grabbing his arm, to roughly drag him towards the tree.

"Careful!" Peter shouted, quickly raising his shield to block an attack that was aimed on his head. But ofcourse he did understand that Fae had no time to be careful. The Witch then managed to smash him to the ground again. Peter screamed in agony as the blade of one of her swords sank in the flesh of his arm. Then she raised the other sword. Peter knew this was his end, he was going to die. He found himself quickly looking around the battlefield. Susan was getting pretty skilled with a sword, and was now fighting with a demon. He then looked at the tree, but Edmund was gone and so was Fae. When he searched for them, he found Fae on her horse again, riding towards her archers on the rocks. He knew she had put Edmund in the tree, and if the situation wouldn't have been so terrifying, the thought would've made him laugh.

"Bye, little King," the Witch said, but then she got completely distracted (just like Peter and everyone else present), by a mighty roar, coming from the highest rockformation.

* * *

"Do you feel any better?"

Peter looked up, and saw Fae, sitting next to his bed. She had kept him locked up in this tent for two whole hours now. The battle had been exhausting. With every second victory had seemed further and further away. Until Lucy came. With Aslan. From there things got way better. The number of creatures Aslan had taken with him (from the Witch's castle, Peter heard afterwards) were of great help, and finally victory came. The Witch was dead. Aslan had killed her.

"Yes," he said, "I am _fine_! Will you now let me see Edmund?"

"Edmund is okay, Peter," Fae said, "You need to rest."

"You too," Peter replied in a childish voice. Fae snickered.

"I've been through these things many times before, I know how much I can handle," she said, making Peter pissed off. It was silent for a moment. Suddenly Peter realized he had not yet thanked Fae.

"Fae, about you showing up; I have no words to tell you –"

"Shh," Fae layed a finger on his lips, "It's okay."

She looked him in the eyes, and they smiled.

"Peter," her voice was soft and warm, "Tell me, did you honestly believe for one single second, that I would have deserted you?"

Peter catched her eye. He smiled and shook his head.

"No," he whispered.

"Neither did I," she said smiling, and she stood up, "I'm going to see Edmund."

"Ooh! Why can't I go?" Peter exclaimed. Fae said nothing. She stuck out her tongue and then left him. He sighed bored, and then decided to go and try to get out. To his surprise, he could. He had stayed in his tent for two whole hours while he could've gotten out whenever he wanted! He walked to the improvised Hospital in a huge tent in the middle of the camp. The first person he saw, when he came in, was Susan. She was in a small private section (the whole tent was put up in tiny chambers with beds for all the wounded), trying to make a reluctant Lucy take a pill. Peter almost fainted of the thrill that flushed through his body when he saw her well and alive.

"Come on, Lu," she said tired, "It's for your own good."

"I don't want to!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Lucy! It's just going to make you sleep!"

"I don't want to sleep,"

"You have to sleep, you're tired,"

"I'm _not_ tired!"

Susan sighed.

"Fine," she said annoyed and put the pill on a small table. She stood up and turned around, immediatly bumping into Peter.

"Peter!" she said a little startled.

"Susan," Peter sighed with some kind of relieval in his voice. Then Susan's face brightened and she threw herself in his embrace.

"Oh, Peter!" she said, "You have no idea how happy I am to see you! How are you?"

"I'm fine, Sue," Peter replied, "And you? Have you kept yourself safe in the battle? I was trying to look after you, but I can't do twenty things at a time."

Susan chuckled.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," she said, and suddenly Peter kissed her. Out of nothing. It was so sudden that it startled Susan at first, but two seconds later she felt herself relaxing like she had held her breath for two months. But when they finally parted, she had no time to feel good about it, for Fae stood before them. She was leaning against a cupboard, watching them.

"Didn't I tell you to stay in your bed?" she said to Peter.

"Fae," started Peter, but Fae cut him off with a soft grin.

"I know," she said, and Peter threw her a surprised look. She snickered again, "I'm not as stupid as you, not to see that you are simply meant for eachother."

Her look passed Peter to Susan, and she smiled. Susan shyly returned the gesture.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to check on my mates," Fae then said and she walked away. Peter rushed after her.

"Fae, wait up," he said, and Fae turned around with a smile.

"What is it?"

"I –" Peter started and he sighed, "I'm sorry, Fae."

"For what?" she said mocking, "Finding your true love? Oh come on, Peter."

"So you don't mind?" Peter asked. She grinned again and her look dropped to the ground. When she looked up again, her look was clear.

"I wouldn't say I don't mind," she said smiling, "I really did love you Peter."

"I loved you to," Peter replied, "In fact I still do. But different. Susan's just -"

He looked at Susan, who had picked up her attempts to get a still reluctant Lucy to take her sleepingpill.

"You know what I think?" Fae said, and Peter looked back at her.

"What?"

"That we've mixed strong curiosity for something new up with love," she said, and she smiled. Peter found that a very nice thought, but he had to disagree.

"No," he said, and he smiled back, "I love you."

Fae grinned. _She's just like Edmund_, Peter thought, _hiding the emotions_.

"Ah, we were always more like friends anyway," she said, and Peter agreed.

"And you know what?" Fae said, "I'll run you through with my sword if you're going to leave Susan."

Peter laughed.

"Even if I would want to leave her, you'll never get the chance of running me through," he replied, "I'm much better with a sword than you are!"

"What?" Fae's jaw dropped, "That is _not_ true!"

"Oh, that is _so_ true," Peter said.

"Is that a challenge?" Fae asked.

"Do you want to _make_ it a challenge?" Peter replied. Fae threw him a thoughtful look with an amused smile on her lips.

"You got yourself a match, boy," she said, taking the hand he offered her.

"Good," he replied, "You're going to lose."

"We'll see. Now I'm going to check on Edmund."

"Didn't you just came back from Edmund?"

Fae just shrugged with a guilty smile on her face.


	10. Chapter 10

_The Back of the Wardrobe_

Susan always felt in a different, indefinable way about Peter. When he tells her that he is adopted, that feelings clear up.

Disclaimer; I really wish I'd own all of Narnia, but I don't. Damnit...

**Zeldy:** Yeah, I kinda felt it was time to have Susan and Peter make up, especially now that this is the last chapter. And people were nagging about it, so I was like 'Yeah, I might as well have em make up'. There was nothing left to make Susan miserable about anyway :P  
**Silent Cobra:** YAY:P Thanks.  
**Aminuleen:** Much closer.  
**GryffindorQueen92:** Thanks :)  
**KibumiWong:** Yes! Ed is definately cool! Edmund's my man, hell yeah. Too bad I didn't get to do much with him in this story but I'll probably write another story about _him_ particularly but I'm not sure. Anyway, he'll be in this chapter a lot more. Please keep an eye on me and reviewing and stuff, cause I can't miss you! I'm gonna die without your reviews:P  
**CiceroGuided:** Glad you liked it :P  
**Cherryblossomlittlewolf4ever: **Yeah, that's what you'd expect, isn't it? That's exactly the reason why I didn't do it. _And_ you're reviewer nr 50!  
**Perfectangel9000:** Thank you. Last update (:

So, this is the final chapter! All my love and thanks for reading and reviewing.

X Marieke

For the party it might be fun to listen the songs _Selfish Man _and/or _Devil's Dance Floor_ and/or _Saltydog_ by Flogging Molly. It's like irish, and I found it rather fitting for Narnian Parties.

* * *

**X. The Coronation and how Edmund and Fae stay teenagers, no matter what**

The moment Lucy and her siblings (and Peter and Aslan) stepped into the Great Hall, all beautifully dressed up, her heart skipped a beat. _Gosh, the dryades must've worked so hard!_ she thought, and she was right. A great number of dryades had been busy all day to decorate the Great Hall with flowers and leaves and big red flags with golden lions on them, and Lucy loved it. She loved it. Lucy walked next to Susan, who walked next to Aslan, who had Peter and Edmund at his other side. They were walking on a red carpet, onto the four thrones at the end of the Hall. Behind them Lucy saw the blue sky and the sun, and she could hear the sea and the singing and laughing of the mermen and mermaids. The Hall was filled with people who were all silently staring at them with smiles on their faces. Lucy always secretly kind of liked standing in the spotlights. She was smiling like a lunatic, staring at the thrones. This was the day. The day she would become a Queen. It all felt so irrealistic; Lucy had never dared to dream of becoming a Queen of a land like this, let alone the dress she was wearing! It was of a lightblue velvet, with white satin sleeves that were wide, and beautifully fell down her arms. One of the waternymphs called Annick had taken care of Lucy's hair and now it was all silky soft curls. Lucy felt very pretty today.

They had come to the end of the steps, and Aslan took them up. The children stood before their thrones, and Aslan stood in the middle. Then Lucy noticed mr and mrs Beaver coming forward, each with a velvet cushion. What interested Lucy even more were the things that layed _on_ the cushions. Mrs Beaver was carrying two lovely tiara's and mr Beaver two beautiful crowns. Then Lucy saw mr Tumnus, who took a step forward and stood next to the Beavers. He smiled widely at her, and she smiled back, struggling to restrain herself from jumping up and down and singing and dancing. But then Aslan began to speak.

"To the glistening Eastern Sea, I give you Queen Lucy, the Valiant," he said, and Lucy almost exploded with excitement as mr Tumnus took the silver tiara from mrs Beaver's cushion, and walked up to her. It looked like one of the crowns she used to make at home in summer with daisy's in the garden, and Lucy couldn't believe it was hers. She bowed and mr Tumnus gently put the tiara on her curls.

"To the great Western Wood," Aslan continued, "King Edmund, the Just."

Edmund bowed too and Mr Tumnus got him a silver crown, ingraved with leaves. When he stood straight up again, he had the most shining smile on his face he had ever had. It did Lucy good to see him smile like that. He looked so much like her own brother Edmund now, back to how he used to be.

"To the radiant Southern Sun; Queen Susan, the Gentle,"

Mr Tumnus gave Susan the golden tiara. It looked like wreathed daffodils and the golden color matched her shining face. This was how Lucy most liked to see Susan; happy and untroubled. Her big sister smiled at mr Tumnus as she raised her head, and mr Tumnus gave her an encouraging wink.

"And to the clear Northern Sky," Aslan said and he raised his head higher, "I give you King Peter, the Magnificent!"

As Peter stood up from kneeling, the golden crown on his blonde hair, all the eyes were on him. Also Lucy couldn't keep her eyes off Peter. She smiled; Peter really was Magnificent.

The new young monarchs sat down in their thrones and Aslan turned around to them.

"Once a King or Queen in Narnia, always a King or Queen," he said, "May your wisdom grace us, until the stars rain down from the heavens."

"Long live King Peter!" the whole crowd then exclaimed, "Long live King Edmund! Long live Queen Susan! Long live Queen Lucy!"

After that everyone yelled and whistled and clapped until then Peter stood up again, with a very nervous look on his face. As the only one, Lucy immediatly knew what he was up to, and she smiled widely.

"If I can have another few minutes of your attention, please," he said, but everyone had already silenced. Peter swallowed, obviously having a hard time getting hold of the nerves.

"I am in love," Peter said, "And I want you all to witness the big step I am about to take."

_Oh no_, Susan thought pessimistically, though unable to really feel sad for some reason, _he's going to marry her._ She had seen them, making up right after Fae caught them kissing. First Susan thought he was breaking up with her, but when Peter left without greeting after that, she knew that she had been wrong. Susan hated to be wrong. She looked at Peter, talking to the people in the Hall and promised herself not to be wrong about him ever again. That promise was broken five seconds later. Peter suddenly turned around and sank down on one knee, hopefully gazing up to her. He grabbed her hand and kissed it, his lips lingering a bit longer on the skin than necessary.

"Susan, will you marry me?" he then asked. Everyone present was holding their breath. Susan looked to her left at Lucy, and Lucy motioned for her to get up, so Susan did. Everyone in the Hall was waiting for her to say something. Edmund stared at her. _Come on, Sue, you know you want it_.

"I..." Susan started, looking away from Peter, "I - I don't... think I..."

She looked out of one of the tall windows on her right and saw the Sky and the Sun she and Peter had just been given to. She felt the wind of Lucy's Sea on her face, encouraging her, rushing through the leaves the dryades had taken from Edmund's Wood. Then the widest smile ever witnessed broke through on her face, and she turned back to Peter.

"Ofcourse I will," she then said, and the whole Hall bursted out in cheering. Peter jumped up, pulled her closed and kissed her more passionate than he had ever done. Everyone was yelling and whistling and suddenly, music broke loose. The ball had begun and everyone started dancing while Peter and Susan were still kissing. When they finally separated, the first person Susan saw was Fae. She stood in the crowd, watching them, laughing through her tears.

"Oh, come here," Susan exclaimed, and she ran towards the dryade, warmly taking her in her embrace.

"You're never ever ever going to let him go," Fae said sobbing.

"Ofcourse not," Susan snivelled suffocated. Peter looked at the hugging girls and wondered smiling where the sudden change of attitude towards eachother had come from. Susan and Fae separated.

"Never," Fae repeated.

"Never," Susan replied vowing. They were both crying and laughing, and there was so much to be said yet nothing to say. Peter walked up to them, and exchanged a quick look with Susan. Susan nodded almost invisibly, and they took Fae outside to the balcony.

"Fae," Peter said, "Will you please marry us?"

"Err – what?" Fae asked confused, "What are you talking about?"

Susan poked Peter in the ribs and giggled.

"You just asked her to marry us, Peter," she said. Peter laughed.

"No no, I mean, do you want to make us husband and wife? Do you want to marry us?"

For a moment Fae's face cleared up.

"Am I allowed to do that?" she asked. Peter nodded smiling. But then Fae's gaze dropped to the floor and she shook her head.

"I'd love to," she said softly.

"But?" Susan asked. Fae looked at the sea and then at Peter.

"You can't ask this from me," she said, and Peter nodded understanding.

"I'm sorry," he said. Fae smiled.

"But I _can_ get you a party," she said, with a rathermischievous spark in her eyes as if she was already full of ideas.

"Deal," Peter said, and they shook hands (Fae liked to shake hands).

"Excuse me," Edmund walked their way, and layed an arm around Fae's waist, "Am I interrupting?"

"Not here, idiot," Fae whispered chuckling, and Edmund quickly took his hand back and even took a step away from her.

"Oooops," he said, chuckling nervously and avoiding eyecontact with Peter and Susan. Peter snickered and winked at Fae.

"Come, Sue," he then said, and they left them alone. Fae sat down on the railing and allowed herself to lower her smile.

"What did he ask you?" Edmund asked, holding her legs _only_ to prevent her from falling backwards (he ignored the fact she was a dryade and travelled by changing into a cluster of leaves).

"To marry them," she said. Edmund shook his head and snickered. One of Peter's weaknesses had always been his tactlessness.

"Not funny, Edmund," Fae chuckled.

"I'm sorry," Edmund said, "That's just so like Peter."

"I suppose so,"

It fell silent and Edmund felt Fae needed some cheering up. He threw her a playful look.

"Come on, let's go dancing," he suddenly said, and he grabbed her hand.

"No," Fae replied.

"Come on!" Edmund exclaimed laughing and he pulled at her arm.

"No!" Fae said whiney, trying to look mad. But the smile that started to make his way to the surface didn't escape Edmund's noticing. Suddenly he shot forward and lifted her up in bride-style.

"Edmund!" Fae could no longer hold her laugh. Edmund took her inside and pushed a glass of wine in her hands. She looked at it with a hesitating look on her face.

"Oh come on, dear," Edmund said joking, "It's not like you have no experience."

"I just promised myself I wouldn't..." she started and she looked at Edmund. Then she grinned, "Ah well, it's a special day."

"Let's drink for this special day," Edmund said and he raised his glass, "Cheers."

"Yes, let us drink," Fae replied, "You're a king now!"

Peter watched the younger boy and the dryade with a smile on his face. Susan wrapped her arms around his waist and followed his gaze.

"What is it, Peter?"

"Nothing, I was just wondering..."

Peter's gaze dropped to the floor. He felt a sting of jealousy, but his smile never left his face.

"What?" Susan asked. Peter looked again at Edmund and Fae, who had a refill and now started dancing.

"I don't know, I guess I was just wondering why Edmund..." he stopped to search for the right words.

"Why Edmund understands her better?"

Peter looked at Susan and nodded.

"I never had any idea of what was going on inside her head," Peter explained, "I was practically always wondering what she was thinking, what she really thought of things, why she made certain actions."

"Which is probably what attracted you at first," Susan said. Peter snickered.

"Yes, it did," he said, "But after a while it gets rather annoying."

"I can see that," Susan laughed. They both searched for Edmund and Fae and found them in the middle of the dancefloor, Edmund obviously making jokes and Fae screaming with laughter.

"If you look at them like this," Peter said, "Do you understand what I mean?"

Susan watched for a few seconds in silence how Edmund made the dryade laugh.

"I never managed to make Fae laugh,"

She looked aside at Peter.

"Or at least, not like Edmund can," Peter smiled, "Like I said, I never had any idea what was going on inside her head."

"And Edmund seems to know it all," said Susan, and Peter nodded.

"Where do you think that comes from?" he asked. Susan smiled mysteriously.

"They had a couple of – moments. Alone," she said, thinking about the stories Edmund told her. Peter threw her a startled look.

"What, she cheated on me?" he exclaimed.

"No, no! Nonononono," Susan said, "No ofcourse not. Even Edmund wouldn't do that to you. No, Edmund just told me about some time they have spent together."

"I spent time with Fae too," Peter said, "Nothing special."

Susan snickered at the rather jealous tone in his voice.

"Have you ever seen her cry?" she then asked Peter. He raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, she was crying a few minutes ago, together with you," he said.

"No, no, I mean, have you ever seen her cry because she was sad? Have you ever seen her frustrated? Have you ever really seen how young she is?"

Peter thought of it for some time, while watching the dancing people.

"No," he then said, "I have seen her frustrated, but I have never seen her cry because of that. And no, I must admit I never really saw that she is so young."

"Edmund does, what I just told you are exactly his words," Susan said simply, and Peter understood. It was silent for a while, and Peter wanted to talk more about it, although he was afraid Susan was getting a little annoyed by his whining.

"You're bored, aren't you?" he asked rather embarrased. Susan shook her head.

"No, no, not at all, I was just thinking – you can make up thousands of reasons why it didn't work out between you and Fae. Maybe dryades have this cool dryade-skill to fake the chemistry between them and humans so all men fall in love with them –"

"You think she wanted to make me fall in love with her?" Peter asked startled. Susan laughed and playfully slapped his shoulder.

"Please! I'm just joking! And even if it would be true, she could never have _made_ you fall in love with her, cause she would never have known she had the skill. She has never seen a human before us, remember?"

Peter slightly flushed at his own stupidity.

"I wasn't even really in love with her anyway," he muttered.

"You were Peter," Susan said and Peter blushed deeper, "And it doesn't matter."

"I'm happy it doesn't," Peter said, "I guess sometimes people just aren't right for eachother, no matter how deeply they're in love."

"Yes," Susan turned to the dancefloor and smiled as she watched Fae and Edmund dance, "And sometimes they are."

Peter looked at her.

"Just because she didn't fit me, doesn't mean Edmund immediatly has to marry her," he said. Susan turned to face him and raised an accusing finger while trying not to laugh.

"Are you jealous?" she asked, unable to completely hide her smile, "Who are you going to marry anyway?"

"You," Peter said. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead, "I'm sorry."

It was silent for a moment, until Susan could no longer hold it.

"Aww! _LOOK_ at them!" and she pointed at Fae and Edmund, "Isn't it _SO_ sweet?"

Peter nodded.

"Come on, let's go dancing too," Susan said.

"What? No!" said Peter startled.

"Yes! Come on! I want people to find us cute too!" Susan whined, and she dragged Peter along. They danced and Susan slowly danced them towards Fae and Edmund, who were very difficult to keep up with because they danced wild and quickly. Suddenly, when Edmund and Fae were close enough, Susan pushed herself away from Peter and threw herself in her little brothers arms and danced on, while Fae started dancing with Peter.

"So, what's this thing between you and the dryade?" Susan asked.

"It's nothing," Edmund said, smiling wider than Susan had ever see him smile.

"Are you sure?" Susan asked, "I think she has a thing for you!"

"She has a thing for Peter," Edmund corrected her.

"Aw, that is _not_ true," Susan exclaimed, "And even _if_ it would be true, _I_ have Peter now. So it's time for something new for her."

"Yeah right," Edmund replied laughing, "And you think that's me."

"Yeah! Right! Why not?" Susan laughed, "I mean, you like her, don't you?"

"No,"

"I smell denial!" Susan said, "Oh yes you like her, sweet little babybrother of mine! Oh yes! Oh yesyesyes, you do!"

"Okay! So I do like her!"

Edmund laughed and shook his head.

"Hell, who's life is this anyway!"

Susan laughed before she was pushed back into Peter's arms.

"What was _that_?" Peter said.

"Oh, I just had the nicest conversation with Edmund!" Susan said, and Peter raised an eyebrow.

"So that's why you put me up with my ex,"

"Oh, stop it. Don't be a baby," Susan said, "You're ruining my mood!"

"What mood?"

"I'm happy, Peter!"

"Why?"

"Oh, come on," Susan laughed, "Okay, okay, look what I've done!"

Peter looked around him.

"I see nothing,"

"That's the point!"

"What's the point?"

"Who's missing here?" Susan snickered at Peter's stupidity.

"What, Aslan? Wait, where are – ooooh!" Peter said, and he winked at Susan, "I get it."

Edmund and Fae were gone.

* * *

"Come on!" Edmund dragged Fae after him.

"Where are we going?" Fae exclaimed, chuckling like a madwoman.

"I don't know," Edmund laughed, "Somewhere quiet."

"Somewhere quiet? I know exactly where to go," Fae said, and she turned around, this time dragging Edmund along. Then they came to the DancingLawn. Edmund took a good look around. He had been here once, and then it had been full of dancing people, music, decoration... and now it was silent. Silent and empty, with a beautiful sky above, coloured by sunset. Edmund sat down, and Fae sat in front of him.

"Close your eyes," Edmund said cheerful. Fae chuckled and did as she was told. Edmund opened the bag he had with him, and took two bottles of wine out of it.

"Open,"

Fae opened her eyes and started laughing when she saw it.

"Haha, you boozer," she exclaimed. Edmund slid close next to her and opened the bottles. So they sat, together, drinking and laughing and talking and watching the sunset.

"Aah, the sky is so beautiful," Fae said, and she laid down on her back. Edmund followed the action.

"Yeah," he said. There was a comfortable silence between them. In the distance they could hear a calm melody coming from the castle.

"Let's dance," Fae suggested.

"Okay," Edmund said enthusiastically, and they stood up. Fae laid her arms around Edmund's neck, and he put his hands on her hips. Edmund snickered.

"You little prostitute," he said. Fae raised an eyebrow.

"What? What's a – prostitute?" she asked.

Edmund chuckled.

"Nevermind,"

"No, no, tell me,"

"No, it's not interesting,"

"Why not?"

"Because! It's just not important, leave it,"

They both chuckled.

"Maybe I should ask Peter what it means?" Fae then said.

"NO!" Edmund exclaimed startled.

"Then what does it mean?"

"It doesn't matter, just promise you won't ask Peter,"

"Okay, I won't,"

They stopped talking and danced. It was a lovely dance and Edmund felt dreamy. There was the taste of wine, the smell of flowers, the silky feeling of Fae's hesitating arms around his neck, as cool as a spring breeze. Suddenly Edmund lost his balance, and they both fell to the ground with a yell. Then they bursted out in laughter for what felt like hours. When they were finally done, Fae glanced at Edmund with a mischievous smile. Then she turned to lay on her stomach, resting her head on her hands so she could look down on him. He had closed his eyes. A happy smile slumbered on his lips.

"Ed?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you like me?"

Edmund looked at her mischievous smile through his eyelashes.

"I guess so," he said, "I never stole wine from Peter for anyone else before."

Fae laughed.

"Do _you_ like _me_?"

"I suppose," Fae said shyly, "that you should find that out yourself. I mean..." she looked at the ground and then back at Edmund, "is it okay if I-"

Suddenly Edmund shot up, and the world stopped spinning as lips met lips. Human met Nature that night, in the most natural human way possible.

FIN

* * *

That was the end of the Back of the Wardrobe! Peter & Susan got married, Edmund got some love of his own, and Narnia lives happily ever after (or at least for now). Thanks for reading! 


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